Big Problem: Messy Data Files

I've had folks reaching out about using PivotTables. They want to use one to make sense of business data spread across various files. But here's the kicker – it's not the best idea when your data is all over the map.

It's like having puzzle pieces scattered everywhere in different files, making it a bit of a head-scratcher to understand and analyze.

Even if you're a bit of an Excel whiz, rocking the sorting and filtering and throwing in slicers for good measure, you might still find yourself stuck at the beginning – just trying to get your data organized.

You should know, the more data you gather, the trickier it gets to make sense of it for good business insights.

More importantly, you are able to analyze and compare the business data within a single tool, for example, a PivotTable.

So, here are some easy-peasy steps to get your data in line:

Step 1: Make Data Fields the Same Let's start by making sure all those data fields (like names or numbers) are the same across your different data sets. Find the common ground to tie things together.

Step 2: Put Everything in One Big Worksheet Create a main worksheet where you throw all your nicely organized data together. Copy and paste from different files into this one big sheet. Make sure everything lines up like a well-behaved assembly.

Step 3: Check and Update Regularly Keep an eye on your big worksheet regularly. Ensure any new data you add follows the same organization party. This helps to keep your data trustworthy for future analysis.

By embracing these straightforward steps, you'll simplify the data juggling act, paving the way for remarkable business insights.