4 Tables and Data Preparation Free Online FlashCards

What is the basic structure of an analysis table?

Use one header row, one record per row, and one field per column.

How should column headers and related values be organized?

Use short, distinct column names, and keep values that may need separate analysis in separate columns.

How do you turn a data range into an Excel table?

Select a cell in the data range, choose Insert > Table or Format as Table, and confirm that the range includes the headers.

Does a cell's number format necessarily change its stored value?

A number format changes how a value is displayed, but does not necessarily change the stored value. Check the underlying value when precision matters.

How should codes with meaningful leading zeros be formatted?

Format identifiers such as ZIP codes or product codes as text when leading zeros must be preserved.

Why preserve an untouched copy of the original data?

Keep an untouched copy or source file so corrections can be checked or reversed.

What should you verify about field meaning and data types?

Check that dates are dates, quantities are numbers, and identifiers are not mistakenly treated as quantities.

How can category entries be standardized?

Choose one spelling and format for each category, remove accidental spaces, and check for inconsistent units.

How should missing values be handled?

Decide whether blanks are allowed, need correction, or should be marked explicitly. Do not silently replace missing values with zero, which may be a real measurement.

How should possible duplicate records be assessed?

Check duplicates using the appropriate key: repeated customer names may be valid, while a repeated transaction ID may indicate a problem. Preview duplicates before deleting them.

How can a spreadsheet reduce spelling variations in new entries?

Use controlled lists or data validation to limit entries to approved categories and reduce spelling variations.

What must move together when sorting a table?

Sort the entire record together. Sorting only one column can mismatch values across a row.