Data Formats

The key to dealing with data in multiple formats like CSV, JSON, Excel, or SQL databases is to standardize schemas and ensure consistent data types. Also known as data harmonization.

Data analysts focus on structure compatibility, efficient data storage, and transforming unprocessed data into tidy, analyzable formats.

Considerations include handling data without a pre-defined structure, such as free-text fields or social media content, which often requires natural language processing techniques to structure meaningfully. Nested structures—like JSON objects within rows—must be flattened or parsed appropriately for tabular analysis.

Encoding issues, such as character mismatches or inconsistent formatting (e.g., UTF-8 vs. ASCII), can lead to incorrect values or loading errors, so ensuring standardized encoding across all sources is crucial.