Your CSV import failed. The columns are wrong. Dates look like numbers. Sound familiar? You'll use your knowledge of the two data formats that power people analytics—CSV files and SQL tables—and apply that understanding to prevent downstream disasters. You'll practice importing CSV files into Excel with the right delimiter, encoding, and type-detection settings, so your data loads correctly the first time. You'll then analyze your imported data using a systematic cleaning checklist to identify hidden columns, verify row counts against the source, and save validated files. Using AI tools like ChatGPT, you'll document your cleaning steps and practice verifying that AI-generated summaries match your actual data. Through realistic role plays where you troubleshoot messy HRIS exports and explain your process to an auditor, and coach dialogues where you navigate sensitive data decisions, you'll build the data preparation habits that separate reliable analysis from guesswork. Designed for HR professionals and aspiring people analysts. Basic spreadsheet familiarity helpful. Access to free ChatGPT or Claude recommended.

Retrieve & Prep Data

Retrieve & Prep Data
This course is part of People Data Foundations: Metrics & Visualization Specialization


Instructors: Ritesh Vajariya
Access provided by Mindsprint
Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.
Beginner level
Recommended experience
2 hours to complete
Flexible schedule
Learn at your own pace
What you'll learn
Use data storage format knowledge to identify import issues.
Apply correct import settings in Excel.
Analyze data quality using a systematic cleaning checklist.
Details to know

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Assessments
1 assignment
Taught in English
Recently updated!
April 2026
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This course is part of the People Data Foundations: Metrics & Visualization Specialization
When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Specialization.
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