© 2015 Alteryx, Inc.
Empowering Analysts with
Self-Service Data Blending
© 2015 Alteryx, Inc.© 2015 Alteryx, Inc.
In today’s session…
1. The Growing Importance
of Data Blending
2. Data Blending:
Options for the Data Analyst
3. Alteryx Demo/Workshop
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© 2015 Alteryx, Inc.
Alteryx Trial Download Instructions
1. Download the 14-day trial from http://www.alteryx.com/download
Select 32- or 64-bit version appropriate for your laptop
2. Download the Predictive Analytics installer from
http://downloads.alteryx.com/predictive.html
Select “R Install Non-Admin” from the Predictive Analytics download page
3. If you are using Qlik, download the Visual Analytics Kit for Qlik from
http://pages.alteryx.com/VisualAnalyticsKitforQlik_Reg-LP.html
4. If you are using Tableau, download the Visual Analytics Kit for Tableau from
http://pages.alteryx.com/VisualAnalyticsKitforTableau_Reg-LP.html
© 2015 Alteryx, Inc.
Customer Success
Customers across the world
1000+
Strong Foundation
Renewal rate with funds
to support innovation
95%+
Corporate Info.
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Leader in
Data Blending and
Advanced Analytics
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The Growing Importance of
Data Blending
Bob Laurent
Senior Director, Product Marketing
Alteryx
© 2015 Alteryx, Inc. 6
What is Data Blending?
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with combining the data they need with how long it takesto get the results they need
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Data Blending:
Options for the Data Analyst
Bob Laurent
Senior Director, Product Marketing
Alteryx
© 2015 Alteryx, Inc.
Option #1: Data Scientists
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© 2015 Alteryx, Inc.
Option #2: SAS, Python Scripts, and other Coding
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Option #3: Spreadsheets
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Data Blending with Excel
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Syntax for VLOOKUP function in Excel
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Analysts Live in the Gap Between Excel and Legacy Analytics
© 2015 Alteryx, Inc.
Option #4: Platform for Data Blending
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© 2015 Alteryx, Inc.
Accessing Data
The Data that Analysts Need:
• Traditional spreadsheets and DB
• Internal data warehouses
• Legacy SAS & SPSS data
• Cloud-based Sales & Marketing data
• Social media
• Webpage content
• Homegrown applications
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© 2015 Alteryx, Inc.
Preparing & Cleansing Data
Drag and drop icons to:
• Filter records
• Eliminate unnecessary fields
• Cleanse incorrect data
• Create new fields with formulas
• Summarize and aggregate data
• Add spatial information
• Add demographic and firmographic data
• And much more
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© 2015 Alteryx, Inc.
Joining Data
More icons to:
• Combine data sources on common fields
• Incorporate Fuzzy Matching for non-exact
matching of customer names or addresses
(e.g. John, Jon, Johnny, or Jonathan)
• Join data on spatial characteristics
(e.g. customer points, trade areas, find nearest)
• Identify data that didn’t match
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© 2015 Alteryx, Inc.
Outputting Data
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Visualization tools
© 2015 Alteryx, Inc.
Why Icons and Workflows?
• Retracing steps in Excel is cumbersome
• Colleagues cannot pick up spreadsheet and see how data was manipulated
• Not clear where data is input vs. calculated vs. blended together
• Documenting steps is needed to repeat the process when data changes
• Intuitive workflows lead to deeper insights – faster
• Each step is the data blending process has an icon
• Connections between icons show how the data moves
• Icons allow methodology to be transferred between analysts
• Workflows allow data blending to be automated and scheduled,
repeated whenever data changes
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© 2015 Alteryx, Inc.
What Technology Approach Works Best?
• Spreadsheet-based
• Familiar and free
• Can instantly see the data
• Optimized for one data source
• Best for one-off data preparation
• Workflow-based
• Easy to use, intuitive UI
• Shows how data progresses through a process
• Optimized for multiple data sources
• Best for repeated data preparation & blending
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Alteryx Demo/Workshop
Scott Gurney
Solutions Engineer
Alteryx
© 2015 Alteryx, Inc.
Download workflow from bit.ly/AlteryxNAS
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