Data Format
Columns works best when source data follows clean tabular structure. If results look wrong, data formatting is usually the first thing to check.
Video overview: Good Data vs Bad Data
Good Data
Recommended structure:
- Data is tabular
- Each row is a record
- Each column is a field
Example: Good Data Example
Bad Data
Common issues:
- merged cells
- multiple tables in one sheet
- mixed data types in one column
- empty rows/columns in the middle of data
- repeated headers within the same table
Examples:
- Bad Data Example 1: headers on the first column instead of first row
- Bad Data Example 2: merged cells and summary rows mixed into raw data
Data Type Consistency
Keep each column type consistent. Typical column types include:
- number
- text
- date/time
- boolean (true/false)