How to handle data before building a simple analysis

 In building a simple analysis two major types of data can be segregated accordingly

1. Primary data - sometimes described as dimensions or filters
2. Secondary data - sometime described as facts or source data to be analyzed 

Distinctions of these will allow clearer path in building analysis.

Example:

• Primary data | cost center numbers with all its information and relevant groupings e.g. region, site, plant, functional area, etc.
• Secondary data | SAP data download from cost center report for monthly spendings

Relationship connections between the primary and secondary can create a lot of insights.

Investing in adding further references in primary data add more dimensions into the overall pictures such as adding hierarchy, region of the cost centers, grouping of the cost centers to represent a set of locations or assets, etc.

While secondary data is where the final results yield, building the appropriate dimensions using elaborated primary data will allow more visibility than you can imagine.