Standardize Categorical Data (Lookups/Mapping)

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Goal: Enhance your data with derived insights and ensure complete consistency.
Actions:
Derive New Columns: Don't just extract what's there. Create new calculated columns that add value.
Example: If you have OrderDate, add OrderMonth, OrderYear, or DayOfWeek. If you have Price and Quantity, add TotalRevenue.
Example: If your CustomerComment column exists, add Sentiment (even if it's a simple positive/negative/neutral based on keywords or a quick human pass).
Create a "Lookup Table" (a separate sheet) for any categorical data (e.g., Product_ID mapping to Product_Name, Region_Code mapping to Region_Full_Name).
Use VLOOKUP or XLOOKUP (Excel) / VLOOKUP (Google Sheets) to pull in consistent, clean category names. This ensures "NA" isn't sometimes "North America" and sometimes "N/A".
Handle Missing Data: Decide on a consistent approach for blanks. Either fill with "N/A," "Unknown," or 0 ( brother cell phone list for numerical fields) or strategically remove rows if truly irrelevant. Consistency here is key for clean visuals.
Tools: Excel/Google Sheets functions (VLOOKUP, XLOOKUP, date functions, simple math), possibly a small manual review.
Amazing Factor: Your data now has more meaning and is consistently formatted, ready for powerful aggregation.
Day 3: Visual Appeal - Formatting for Clarity
Goal: Make your data easy to read and understand at a glance.
Actions:
Consistent Formatting:
Headers: Bold, larger font, distinct background color.
Borders: Use subtle borders to separate rows and columns.
Alternating Row Colors: Use conditional formatting or table styles to apply alternating row colors for easier readability.
Number Formatting:
Currency: Apply currency format ($, €, ₹) for money values.
Percentages: Format percentages as percentages (%).
Numbers: Use comma separators for thousands (e.g., 1,000).
Decimal Places: Standardize decimal places where appropriate.
Conditional Formatting for Insights: This is where the magic happens!
Highlight Trends: Use color scales (green for high, red for low) for performance metrics.
Flag Outliers: Highlight values that are above/below a certain threshold.
Identify Duplicates: Use conditional formatting to quickly spot and address duplicate entries.