Pivot Grid Module

Oct 23, 2025
4 minutes to read

The Pivot Grid module is a comprehensive data analysis, data mining, and visual reporting solution for XAF applications. The module contains List Editors that adapt DevExpress WinForms Pivot Grid controls for XAF.

The feature enables you to summarize large amounts of data in a multi-dimensional pivot table where you can sort, group, and filter the data.

End-users can customize the table’s layout according to their analysis requirements with simple drag-and-drop operations.

For the Pivot Grid module’s demonstration, access the List Editors | PivotGrid section in the Feature Center application supplied with XAF. The default location of the application is %PUBLIC%\Documents\DevExpress Demos 25.2\Components\XAF\FeatureCenter.NET.XPO.

Note

Until the Pivot Grid Module supports Blazor UI, it is possible to integrate the Blazor PivotGrid control into your Blazor application manually. The following topic describes how to do this: Blazor - How to integrate the Pivot Grid into an XAF app.

Getting Started

You can add the Pivot Grid module to an existing project by following the How to: Display a List View as a Pivot Grid Table and Chart tutorial.

Note

You can add modules to your application when you use the Template Kit to create a new XAF solution. Select modules in the Additional Modules section.
To add an extra module in code, add it to the XafApplication.Modules or ModuleBase.RequiredModuleTypes list (adding a reference to the module assembly is insufficient).
In XAF applications, you can call the AddPivotGrid(IModuleBuilder<IWinApplicationBuilder>) method in your WinForms application builder.

DevExpress Controls Used by the Pivot Grid Module

The Pivot Grid module uses the following DevExpress controls:

Class	Description
PivotGridControl	Allows creating a pivot table in a WinForms application.

You can access these controls and change their behavior in code. For more details, study the How to: Access the Grid Component in a List View topic.

Pivot Grid Module Components

The Pivot Grid module consists of the following platform-agnostic and platform-specific components:

For the Pivot Grid Module’s best performance, add it to platform-specific projects only and customize the module there. Do not use the PivotGridModule component intended for the base module project.

Pivot Grid Module Settings

The entities below allow you to adjust the Pivot Grid module’s settings in the Application Model:

Interface	Description
IModelPivotListView	Extends the Application Model with the PivotSettings node.
IModelPivotSettings	Provides access to the pivot grid List Editor a List View displays.
IPivotSettings	Declares members of classes that specify settings of the pivot grid List Editor a List View displays.

These settings are available in the Application Model‘s Views | <ListView> | PivotSettings node.

The IPivotSettings.CustomizationEnabled property is set to true by default and allows end-users to modify their pivot table’s settings.

Important

Set the IPivotSettings.CustomizationEnabled property value depending on your application’s prevailing usage scenario.

Choose false if you want to present data to end users in a specific layout. The false setting gives you full control over the pivot table’s behavior and prevents users from changing it.
Choose true if end users need to frequently modify the pivot table’s data layout. Note that once the user changes the pivot table’s settings, they are recorded to the Application Model‘s top-layer .xafml file and you cannot overwrite them. In some cases, an end user’s settings may merge with the modifications the developer specified in lower-level *.xafml files, and cause unpredictable behavior. The end user can get your default settings by right-clicking the pivot table and selecting **Reset View Settings* in the context menu.

The IPivotSettings.Settings property value is a complex XML-formatted string. To manage these settings, click the Settings ’ ellipsis button ( ).

The button invokes the PivotGrid designer that allows you to modify the pivot table’s layout and its other preferences.

Pivot Grid Module List Editors

The Pivot Grid module ships with the following List Editors:

Class	Description
PivotGridListEditor	Represents the pivot grid List Editor XAF WinForms applications use.

You can set the IModelListView.EditorType property value to this editor in the Application Model as the screenshot below illustrates:

The EditorType property value is set to “DevExpress.ExpressApp.PivotGrid.Win.PivotGridListEditor” in the WinForms module project.

Note

Alternatively, you can invoke the Model Editor from the application projects and change the EditorType property value there.