Understanding data structures

The right data structure is not easily definable. True, there are ground rules. For instance, tall data is generally better than wide data. A wide dataset with lots of columns can be difficult to work with, whereas the same data structured in a tall format with fewer columns but more rows is usually easier to work with.

But this is not always the case! Some business questions are more easily answered with wide data structures. And that is the crux of the matter. Business questions determine the right data structure. If one structure answers all questions, great! However, your questions may require multiple data structures. The pivot feature in Tableau helps you adjust data structures on the fly to answer different business questions.

Before beginning this exercise, make sure you understand the following points:

• Pivoting in Tableau is limited to Excel, text files, and Google Sheets; otherwise, you must use Custom SQL or Tableau Prep
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