When looking for a powerful data visualization tool, you should always conduct in-depth research in order to make the right choice. However, you no longer need to scratch your head the whole day in order to find a reliable data visualization tool since Microsoft Excel has your needs covered. Excel is ranked as one of the oldest and most reliable visualization tools that have been in existence for decades.
Excel tools for data analysis come with impeccable features that enable you to generate sense from complex data sets. This tool uses spreadsheets to store and organize data values. In addition, you can use Excel to track your data sets using special formulas that are designed to monitor the data stored in spreadsheets. Excel is mostly used by data analysts, accountants, digital marketers, and other data professionals.
Microsoft Excel is used in data storage, data analysis, and when creating data reports. On other occasions, Excel can be used to organize large sets of data that have been generated from different sources. One of the most common applications of Excel is used in creating balance sheets within the accounting and finance sector. Also, it offers room to create different types of charts and graphs that play a significant role during data visualization in excel.
This tool is mostly used in data analysis due to its exceptional computational expertise. It is a reliable option if you want to understand the underlying message in your data and how you can implement it in your daily business operations. Excel eliminates the need to spend much time analyzing large data sets. Technology has replaced the application of manual methods in doing data analysis that was used in the past.
When using Excel for data analysis, you need to be keen on what you are doing in order to get reliable output. However, this can be difficult, especially if you are a beginner in the field of data visualization. This does not limit you from using Excel to visualize your data and access insights since there is a symbol route available that you can implement. This article offers you some of the best tips that will guide you throughout the process when using Excel to analyze your data. Check it out!
- Use More than One Row or Column
When analyzing your PPC data in Excel, you may reach a point and realize that you are in need of adding more rows or columns. At some point, you may need to add multiple rows, which ends up wasting much of your time. Adding one row at a time is likely to waste a lot of time, and it can be tedious if you are not used to it. The good news is that there is a solution to adding multiple rows or columns with just a single click.
During the data analysis process, when you realize that you are in need of more rows, simply highlight the number of the pre-existing rows and right click on your mouse and tap on the insert button. This feature will automatically add multiple rows, making a what is a moving forward. Using this feature increases efficiency and saves you time and effort.
- Eliminate All the Duplicate Data Points
When dealing with large data sets, there are high chances that there are duplicate values. For instance, when you have a list of student reviews given on an online bootcamp site, there is a high chance that the data has lots of duplicates that are likely to affect the accuracy of the final data output. Take Flatiron school reviews data as an example. What you need to do is to contact a thorough data cleaning that will help you eliminate duplicates and ensure that you are dealing with correct values.
When using Excel and you note a series of data duplicates, you can easily remove them by highlighting the row or column with the duplicates, clicking on the data tab, and selecting to remove duplicates. A pop-up will help you determine the kind of data you want to remove before the duplicates are removed from the data sets. Note that you can as well remove the entire data set provided that you have identified the duplicate data values.
- Use Formulas When Doing Simple Calculations
When dealing with complex calculations, it might be difficult for you to do them manually. Once you make a mistake in this kind of calculation, you automatically affect the results you get at the end of the process. The only thing that can save you is to enhance high levels of accuracy in data calculations in order to generate reliable data output. Microsoft Excel offers you solutions that can save you from the hustle of unnecessary errors.
There are Microsoft Excel formulas that can save you much of your time and enhance the accuracy of your data output. When you want to add data values, you only use the plus sign and many others. Once you master the art of using these formulas, you stand a better chance to make your work easier and generate accurate data.
- Use Filters to Simplify Data
When you have a large dataset to visualize, you don’t necessarily need to evaluate every data point at an individual level. You can use specific criteria to help you analyze multiple data sets within the shortest time possible and ensure that everything is accurate. This is why you need to use filters during the data analysis process to save much of your time. Filters enable you to narrow down your data to a single point that matters.
In Microsoft Excel, you can add filters in every data column, thus helping you to determine the data points you intend to visualize. Filters help you view an extensive data set without compromising quality and accuracy.
- Use Pivot Tables to Extract Meaning from Your Data
Organizing data in a spreadsheet can be difficult, especially if you’re a beginner. Pivot Tables can help you organize data in Excel spreadsheets, making it easier for you to extract valuable information. It can also help you compare the values in a data set and make meaningful conclusions from it. Depending on the goals you intend to achieve, you can instruct a pivot table to help you get the job done.
Note that you can easily implement a pivot table in Microsoft Excel without calling for any IT support. All you need is a basic understanding of data visualization and how different tools are used to achieve specific objectives.
- Use Conditional Formatting to Edit Cells
Conditional formatting is a cell formatting strategy that is used to change the cell’s color depending on the nature of the data. If you want to change the color code of your data value in spreadsheets, you can use conditional formatting to specify the nature of your target data. This is mostly used when you want to only focus on data that is important to you. You can symbol highlight the groups of data you intend to focus on and select the conditional formatting option on the main menu.
However, you should only use this feature after evaluating your data and pinpointing the areas that matter to you. When you use the conditional formatting feature appropriately, you will find things changing automatically depending on your data preference.
- Transpose the Rows into Columns
After outlining rows of data in spreadsheets, you might think of converting the rows into columns or the other way around. When you choose the manual approach to converting the rows into columns, you will likely spend a lot of time doing the work. Also, this is likely to affect the accuracy of the data findings you get at the end of the analysis. The exciting news is that you can transpose the rows into two columns without doing it manually.
You can do this by highlighting the column that you intend to transpose by right-clicking it and selecting the copy button. The next step is to select the column where you want your data to begin and paste the data values.
Bottom Line
Data analysis in Excel is a simple and exciting process that anybody can navigate through. Microsoft Excel offers you multiple features that are necessary during data visualization making your work easier. Provided that you understand how to play around with different data elements, you can use Excel to extract meaning from your road at all those with just a single click.
Learning more about the tips and tricks used in Excel analysis will help you to save on costs and time doing the work. The tips shared in this article offer you a better foundation that you can implement when doing data analysis via Microsoft Excel.
