Week 1: Data Modeling

Unit 2: Preparing Datasets

Preparing datasets
Overview

Data First Only

Uses ELT import workflow

Measures Only

Primarily used for ad-hoc analytics

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Preparing datasets
When would you want to create a dataset?

You have data on hand that you want to analyze (data first).

You have a predictive scenario

▪ Predictive scenarios require datasets

You are not certain what view you might need –

▪ Flexibility to quickly tweak the wrangling
▪ Iterative wrangling and analysis
▪ Extract, Load, Transform (ELT) workflow

You are not doing any planning.

The import job is a one-off (or you can overwrite the entire dataset).

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Preparing datasets
Getting started

Dataset creation and management is its own module.

Accessible from the navigation menu, at the far left.

In the Dataset module, you can:

▪ View/edit existing datasets
▪ Create new datasets from uploaded Microsoft Excel or CSV files
▪ Create new datasets from a data connection

Remember!

Datasets are always created via data first modeling!

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Preparing datasets
Creating a new dataset from a file

To create a dataset from uploaded data, select

From a CSV or Excel File

You can select a file from the local filesystem or a

file server

The data import job will be from this file

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Preparing datasets
Creating a new dataset from a data source

To create a dataset from a data connection, select

From a Data Source

This will bring up the data source selector

▪ If you have not already configured the desired type of
connection, you can do so now
▪ If you have configured a connection, you will be able
to re-use it

Once you have selected a data source, your

import job will come from it

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Preparing datasets
Creating a new dataset from a within a story (embedded dataset)

It is possible to create a dataset from directly

within a story.

This is done by
▪ Electing to add data during initial story creation
-or-
▪ Selecting the Data tab and then selecting Add
New Data
▪ If there has been no data added to the story yet, it
will proceed to the data selection dialog

Selecting either the file or data source options

will result in a new dataset being created via
data first modeling

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Preparing datasets
Creating a new dataset from a within a story (embedded dataset)

The Smart Wrangling view is displayed in spreadsheet style format.

▪ Menu bar at the top

▪ Navigation panel at the right-side toggles between the transformation log and details
▪ If an individual column has been selected,
the details and transformation log for
that column will be shown
▪ If no column is currently selected, the
details and transformation log for the
dataset as a whole will be displayed

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Preparing datasets
Data types

Columns of the dataset are strongly typed

Data types are

▪ Inferred when the dataset is being uploaded from the file –
users can overrule inference
▪ Defined by the source in other cases

List of types:
▪ Dimensions: date, integer, number, string, time, date and time
▪ Measure: Integer, number

Date and time

▪ Format is automatically detected
▪ Custom formats can be defined by specifying template:
– Example: DD-MON-YYYY

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Preparing datasets
Transforms

All existing transformations in current wrangling

are available with agile analytics (on datasets)
▪ Concatenate, split, extract, replace, change
▪ Filter is a new function available as a transformation
– Users can now specify the values to be filtered,
even if not part of the sample

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Preparing datasets
Level hierarchies

For a drilling experience in charts across

dimensions, users can create hierarchies in
wrangling

Functionality
▪ Levels are defined by dimensions
▪ Hierarchies are declared objects in models
▪ Columns can be ordered together in the grid

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Preparing datasets
Validation of the data

The details pane will alert users when:

▪ Data in a column does not fit the corresponding data type
▪ An ID has multiple descriptions

Full validation happens upon user request

▪ Once toggled, all subsequent actions will be validated on the
full dataset

At consumption time
▪ Cells with issues will be cleared
(and not the entire row, such as with models)

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Preparing datasets
Custom transformations

The wrangling expression language is a scripting language for data transformations.

Focus on power and efficiency

▪ Getting started examples
▪ Type-ahead functionality for keywords,
functions, dataset objects
▪ Built-in documentation
▪ Clear error handling, pinpointing where
the issue happened

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Preparing datasets
Lifecycle

When saving, the user can select which folder to save it in

▪ This determines its visibility and accessibility to others

Will be re-useable in any story created by a user with access

Datasets created inside stories will only ever exist inside that story
▪ Will not be reusable

Datasets can always be re-wrangled and modified

▪ Warning! Even if they have been used

Datasets can’t have additional data loaded

▪ Consequence of their ELT approach
▪ Can be manually refreshed by overwriting the entire dataset
▪ Customers with SAP Data Intelligence (DI) can push DI dataflows into datasets

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Preparing datasets
Demo

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Thank you.
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