Data Management Phase Checklist

Correct & complete your data set

This checklist covers tasks you should perform AFTER importing a data set (or merging in another) for the first time, but BEFORE adding further content or  beginning to analyse how to filter, visualise or present the data.

The Data Management phase focuses on data set completeness and correctness. Data typing assumptions made by Omniscope on import should be checked, columns duplicated, expanded, collapsed or tokenized to facilitate end-user interaction with your file. In this phase, 'data scrubbing' view configurations (rather than final presentational views and layouts) are used, normally working on a single tab entitled 'Data Set' or similar. Use Table View column sorting and the Chart View to examine extreme values in each column, correct null (blank) and missing values, and add related content to the file, such as image sets, maps and links to related web pages and web services.

Data Management Checklist:

Using the X in the upper right-hand corner, close all the default opening Views on the opening Tab, except for the Table View.

2-01 Check data typing - On import, Omniscope assigns a data typing assumptions to each column in the data set: 'Text', 'Numeric' or 'Date & Time'. If the number of unique text values in a column is less than a defined threshold, the field will be further typed 'Category'. Sometimes, columns of identification numbers which are not used in calculations and usually searched as Text are mistakenly typed 'Integer Number' with separators added. Data typing can be reviewed and changed using the Data > Manage fields dialog. Make sure to remove the separators from numbers before changing them to text by unticking Data > Manage fields > {column} Options > Show thousands separator. Ensure that data which is stored in the source file as a valid data and time has been recogised and imported as Date and Time rather than Text, as discussed here.

2-02 Set default global column order - the order of the columns on import may not be the most useful to your users. You can set the global default column order for the file from the Data > Manage fields dialog by dragging the 'hands at the far right upwards or downwards. Column order is view specific, and you can modify the order in each Table View by dragging the columns. Use Data > Manage fields > Reset view field orders to reset columns to the default order. If you have defined tab-specific view orders, Omniscope will ask if you want to return all tabs to the global default order.

2-03 Add new fields - you may want to add new fields in order to add more data.  Use Data > Manage fields > Add new field to create the field at the bottom of the list, then drag the new column into proper position in the defualt column order and assign it a name. You can convert it to a formula field and define the calculation logic later.

2-00 Address null (blank) values - Omniscope is a powerful tool for completing data sets and improving data quality.

2-00 Expand, collapse or tokenize columns -

Note: Expanding and collapsing columns are data edits that will not survive a data refresh. If the changes are to be made persistent, they should be made in the source data.

2-00 Look for aberrant values -

Note: Data deletions and corrections will not survive a data refresh. If the changes are to be made persistent across refreshes, the changes should also be made in the source data.

2-00 Import image sets -

2-00 Download/import maps -

2-00 Define links -

Commit all changes Tab > Commit changes for all  and File > Save (Ctrl+S) the file, preserving the link to the source data if required for subsequent refresh.

At the end of this phase, the single 'DataSet' tab should reveal all non-empty and non-uniform data fields and filters (use both Sidebars if necessary to see all the filter devices) in the Table/Chart View(s) without aggregations or groupings.

Note: it is good practise to always leave this 'Data Set' tab accessible as the final tab on the far right of the file tab set, providing an instant, credibility-enhancing view of the data at maximum granularity to any user who clicks on the tab.