Recommended Data Format – Stacked Column
The preferred data format
for use with SigmaXL is the stacked column format. An example of this format
is given in the file
SigmaXL Demo Data.xls. This file is located in
C:\Program Files\SigmaXL\ SigmaXL Demo Data.xls and can also be accessed by
clicking Start >Programs > SigmaXL > SigmaXL Demo Data.
Please ensure that the Customer Data sheet is selected:
Note that
only one row is used for column headings and there are no blank rows or
columns. Also note that all pertinent information is provided in each record
(row). Each column must have a consistent format of numeric, text, or date.
Column headings must also be unique.
This is
the data format used by other major Statistical software packages.
Data Preparation
SigmaXL requires data tables to be in a specific format:
All columns must have one column heading and each of these headings must be unique.
There can be no empty rows or columns - to format data for chart creation perform the following:
- To delete empty rows or columns, click SigmaXL > Data Manipulation > Data
Preparation> Delete Empty Rows and Columns. Check Delete Empty Rows and/or Delete Empty Columns. (Note,
this action CANNOT be undone - copy the data set to a new sheet before formatting if the current format must be kept).
- Avoid empty cells in columns. Figure 1.2 shows the date 8-Jun,
followed by empty cells below. SigmaXL will fill these blanks with zeros when charts are being created. To prevent this copy and paste/fill the
cells as appropriate.
The correct data set is shown in Figure 1.1.
Figure 1.1 - Original Data Set
Figure 1.2 - Correct Data Set
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