TDC has just added to it’s services, a process that will allow stale data sets to be “refreshed”. So, if you’ve got an old customer data set that you haven’t touched in years, this is the service for you! Head on over to here, and check out what we have on offer. If you’re trying to figure out how to update that old data set, this is how you do it!
MS Access, a corrupted data’s best friend!
12/08/2010 By
Think these articles are too basic? Want something with more “meat”? Suggest a topic and test our knowledge!
Article Two: Microsoft Access, a corrupted data’s best friend?
Ever had a data set that you tried to import into MS SQL (or other highly rule governed database), but couldn’t? Was getting a resupply not an option? So, what to do…
MS SQL will often advise during the import, what row the corruption occurs at, with this information in hand, carry on. If you’re this lucky, and can then open the file in something like notepad, then there is a chance that you’ll be able to see the issue, and resolve it there and then. If not, then your options become limited. Often notepad will not be able to show you the issues, or it can’t handle the size of the file. A great support app, is Notepad++. At the time of writing this article, they were up to 5.7, but check here to download the latest version.
So, notepad not doing it for you? You’re not alone…
My saviour… MS Access. It’s an application that cares not so much about the rules, but goes with the flow. Access will be kind enough to output a column and a row number to tell you where things are going wrong. But Access, just like Jesus instructed, goes the extra mile and imports your data anyway. From here, it’s a simple 1,2,3 to export the data out of Access in a format that the highly rule driven MS SQL can accept. I always use a PIPE “|” delimited file (Pipe is usually the key above the enter key, just be sure to hold down SHIFT), with “TEXT” qualifications.
Import into SQL should now be a breeze. What about the data that was corrupted I hear you say? There is every chance that you’ll be able to solve that in Access, but equally the same chance that it’s gone. If the data is critical and worth your time, then try to restore it, else divert your energies to something you can positively impact. In my experience it’s often lost for good, and not worth your time trying to recover.
5 Part Weekly Series, Part 1
05/08/2010 By
Welcome to the next 5 weeks of your life. Over the course of this time, we’ll be putting together some very basic data management tips and tricks. Some of these will focus on Microsoft products, while others will be more focused on data management practices, regardless of product.
This string of communication will cover;
- MS Excel, Database Friend or Foe?
- MS Access, corrupted data’s best friend!
- Why haven’t you tried MS SQL Express yet?
- Comparing data sets with fuzzy logic, the benefits and pitfalls.
- How to minimise the impact of data de-duping within a relational database.
I do hope you find the articles informative, and as always, we relish any and all feedback. Also, given that we’re all more than busy enough, each article will take you no longer then 90 seconds to read…promise!
Article One: Microsoft Excel, Database Friend or Foe?
Depending upon who you speak to, an Excel document is often considered a “database” in its own right. And this is true, it’s a “Flat File” structured database. This means, that all information is contained within the spreadsheet, and no other spreadsheets connect to or relate to this information in any way. Excel is a very powerful spreadsheet tool, and something that I’ve used for a great many years to help manipulate data. It is however, not without its quirks.
Recently I was provided a data set, from a large multinational company, in excel format. Upon delivery I started to go through the data, and noticed that the street numbers (which were in their own column), were corrupted. Essentially they looked like, “9-Nov”, “2-Apr” etc. Now it’s pretty clear that they should have been, “9-11” and “2-4”. It’s easy to say this, and even better that it was caught prior to any further import, but after another extraction with this resolved, we still had corrupted data. So, we went back to the source, and found that the source its self was corrupted. Not good!
So, Excel Friend of Foe….well, it’s a little of both. It’s an application that tries it’s best to be your friend, but in doing so it can actually corrupt your data. Remember that kid who was too smart for his own good in class? Excel is a little bit like this.
Excel. A great application that makes data manipulation easy and accessible to the masses. But be warned, Excel used without caution will create a world of pain!
MS SQL 2008 R2 Import/Export Error
23/07/2010 By
Are you getting the dreaded “Unexpected Unrecoverable Error”, when trying to import or export from the R2 iteration of the SSMS interface?
We did two, but then after a lot of searching and a little bit of luck, found that the issue stems from a .net4 client upgrade.
If you change your “DTSWizard.exe.config” file, and remove the line that references .net4, save it, and reboot, you’ll be fine!
I hope this helps!
HELP! I’ve corrupted my Customer data with an update…
20/05/2010 By
It’s happened to us all, at one point or another, and it’s why we all LOVE backups! But, I’m betting you don’t have a back up. Well, you’re not completely in “Winnie”, but you’re close enough!
Think of it this way, you’re data is made up of a number of “elements”. Those being Name, Address and Phone numbers. So, take those elements apart, and start doing a “Humpty Dumpty”. It’s a little complex, and you’ll never be back to 100% of what you had, but I’m sure you’ll get back the majority. Start off by ensuring that your addresses are correct. There are a number of address validation tools out there, and they can pretty much fix most minor errors in an address.
Once this is done, then it’s a case of matching the name to an address, and then to a phone number. The easiest way to achieve this, is to rely upon someone whose data set is greater then yours. By marring up your addresses with their data, you can usually pick up a surname from them. With this, you can then match your name information, to obtain your full first name, as most other sources may only contain an initial. Once you have a name and an address, you’ve got a mailing record. From here you’ve got a few more options…
The Power of Good Data
09/05/2010 By
What is good data? What makes data not so good? There are a number of factors to consider when it comes to data, but the number one on most people’s list….is recency. The recency of your data directly affects your ability to make contact. It doesn’t matter if they’re prospects or customers, the recency of the contact information in your database is critical.
One of the most effective ways to validate the recency of your data, is to run it through a predictive dialler. It’s low cost, and will quickly allow you to see what kind of drop off you’ve encountered within your telemarketing information. Try doing a small mail out, and ensure you collect your Return To Senders. Now take those two numbers, and work out how much mailing data and telemarketing data you’ve just lost in your database. It’s probably going to be a little scary!
Fear not, there are options. If you have the telephone number of your customer, but their address has turned out to be invalid, why not call them up with a special promotion, and depending upon their potential value as a customer, give them a shopping/fuel voucher for updating their information. You might think that this is expensive, but what is the real “worth” of that piece of data? Only you know the answer to that, but think about it before you just dismiss it as too expensive.
Good data makes or breaks a company, no matter what it is they do. So spend the time, and work with some people who know what they’re doing, and don’t just trust your data to anyone!
The Power of Good Data
09/05/2010 By
What is good data? What makes data not so good? There are a number of factors to consider when it comes to data, but the number one on most people’s list….is recency. The recency of your data directly affects your ability to make contact. It doesn’t matter if they’re prospects or customers, the recency of the contact information in your database is critical.
One of the most effective ways to validate the recency of your data, is to run it through a predictive dialler. It’s low cost, and will quickly allow you to see what kind of drop off you’ve encountered within your telemarketing information. Try doing a small mail out, and ensure you collect your Return To Senders. Now take those two numbers, and work out how much mailing data and telemarketing data you’ve just lost in your database. It’s probably going to be a little scary!
Fear not, there are options. If you have the telephone number of your customer, but their address has turned out to be invalid, why not call them up with a special promotion, and depending upon their potential value as a customer, give them a shopping/fuel voucher for updating their information. You might think that this is expensive, but what is the real “worth” of that piece of data? Only you know the answer to that, but think about it before you just dismiss it as too expensive.
Good data makes or breaks a company, no matter what it is they do. So spend the time, and work with some people who know what they’re doing, and don’t just trust your data to anyone!
Special Offer for all Online Customers
06/05/2010 By
The Data Company is offering a fantastic deal till the end of the financial year. Click to get to the Online Special Offer, as this is the only link to it!
Emerging trends in the data world
02/05/2010 By
Throughout our life in data, it’s never easy to see what is around you when you’re in the midst of the action. But since we’ve created The Data Company, we’ve been able to step back a bit and view what is really going on in “The Data World”. What has become apparent, is that a number of organisations are migrating their data from one system to another. This is great news for progress, but do they really understand what kind of golden egg they’re holding?
Migration of data is easy to do, but to do it effectively, is a highly complex process. I’ve seen it a number of times, people moving the same data from one system to the next, as their concerns over legacy information, often cloud the real world value of cleansing, de-duping and normalising their data for the new system. It’s the old adage, “Rubbish in, Rubbish out”, because this is what will happen when it comes time to do a campaign from your data, or run a sales history report.
It’s not often that you get a chance to start again, so when you’re ready to upgrade your systems, or are changing over for any other reason, make sure you seek some professional advice from someone you trust. As making the wrong decisions when migrating data, will not just make your life harder, IT WILL COST YOU MONEY!
Emerging trends in the data world
02/05/2010 By
Throughout our life in data, it’s never easy to see what is around you when you’re in the midst of the action. But since we’ve created The Data Company, we’ve been able to step back a bit and view what is really going on in “The Data World”. What has become apparent, is that a number of organisations are migrating their data from one system to another. This is great news for progress, but do they really understand what kind of golden egg they’re holding?
Migration of data is easy to do, but to do it effectively, is a highly complex process. I’ve seen it a number of times, people moving the same data from one system to the next, as their concerns over legacy information, often cloud the real world value of cleansing, de-duping and normalising their data for the new system. It’s the old adage, “Rubbish in, Rubbish out”, because this is what will happen when it comes time to do a campaign from your data, or run a sales history report.
It’s not often that you get a chance to start again, so when you’re ready to upgrade your systems, or are changing over for any other reason, make sure you seek some professional advice from someone you trust. As making the wrong decisions when migrating data, will not just make your life harder, IT WILL COST YOU MONEY!