1
PROCESSING DATA
Module 7.2
CONTENTS
• Introduction
• Exporting and importing
• Tips, tools and techniques to
process data
• Test and improve
• Written module activity
• Practical module activity
2
3
INTRODUCTION
INFORMATION
MANAGEMENT SKILLS
You already know how to ...
• Get a clear, understandable task definition
• Ask questions that will help to solve the task
• Identify data sources
• Evaluated the quality of data / information
4
TODAY’S SOFTWARE
ALLOWS US TO ...
• work with large amounts of data
and information
• process data quickly and accurately
• present the data and information in
the most appropriate format
5
6
EXPORTING AND IMPORTING
EXPORTING
Exporting = ‘sending’ / transferring data
from one format (source) to anther (target)
Database table
(source)
Spreadsheet
(target)
7
IMPORTING
Importing = ‘fetching’ or bringing in a
copy of the data/contents from another
file format (source) and putting it into the
current file format (target)
Spreadsheet
(target)
Database table
(source)
8
COPY AND PASTE
In an office suite you can
• copy from a Word table and
• paste into a spreadsheet
(and vice versa)
You can even
• copy data from a database
table/query and
• paste it into a spreadsheet
9
10
EXPORTING FROM ACCESS
• Open database (source) from
which you want to export
• In the navigation pane
• Right-click on the object
• Click on Export
• Select the format
• Choose the file name and
folder (target) you want to
export the object to
OR use the Export group
on the External Data tab
11
ACTIVITY 1
12
IMPORTING INTO ACCESS
• Use the Access wizard to guide you
• Start off where you want to end up
• Import into existing table or new
table
• Columns should have labels – they
become field names in the (new)
database table
• Importing from a text file –
CSV file separates entries (fields)
with a comma
13
ACTIVITIES 2 & 3
14
IMPORTING INTO AND
EXPORTING FROM EXCEL
• Use commands in the Get
External Data group on the
Data tab to import data from
various sources
• You can also simply copy an
Access table in Datasheet
View, and paste it into Excel
15
ACTIVITY 4
16
TIPS, TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES
TO PROCESS DATA
Be smart …
• Know the features of the programs – and
be skilled in using them
• Decide if the data is in the best format to
be processed effectively
• Figure out the most efficient way to
complete the task
• You may have to use different
techniques to solve the problem
17
SORTING AS A
PROBLEM-SOLVING TOOL
To isolate (separate) the
records we want to work with,
we use SORTING in ...
• word processors
• spreadsheets
• databases
18
19
ACTIVITY 5
SPREADSHEETS
Excel provides us with a range of
functions to perform arithmetic
and statistical calculations
• Sum, Average, Min,
Max, Small, Large
• Mode, Median
• CountIF, SumIF, etc.
20
21
ACTIVITY 6
DATABASES
Especially useful for ...
• working with larger
amounts of data
• performing complex
queries on the data
• grouping and presenting
information in
professional-looking
reports
22
23
ACTIVITIES 7 & 8
24
USING ACCESS REPORTS TO
PROCESS DATA
Reports can be used to …
• sort and group large numbers of records
• apply calculations such as
• totalling
• counting
• finding the minimum, maximum and average
values of fields of records
25
ACTIVITY 9
26
TEST AND IMPROVE
USE THE SUMMARY FOR REVISION
27
WRITTEN
MODULE ACTIVITY
28
PRACTICAL
MODULE ACTIVITY