Learn how to design structured database relationships that turn messy information into reliable insights. In this Data Survival Skills session, Robin shows how Explore California organizes potential tour data by moving from unstructured notes and spreadsheets into a relational database model. Using primary keys, foreign keys, and one-to-many relationships, she demonstrates how to normalize data…
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Discover how to turn a long list of event details into a clean, organized schedule in seconds. In this Data Survival Skills session, Robin shows how to use Power Query’s Pivot Column to transform agenda data into a clear display of speakers, dates, and sessions. Unlike a regular pivot table, Pivot Column makes it easy…
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Discover how to clean up messy text fields and make your data consistent. In this Data Survival Skills session, Robin teaches how to create a control table and use joins to recode survey data with lots of different spellings for the same thing. Instead of writing endless replace commands, you’ll learn how to build the…
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Learn how to combine multiple data sources into a single, analysis-ready dataset with Power BI. In this Data Survival Skills session, Robin demonstrates how to merge customer order records, cohort data, and loyalty program participation into one unified view. By walking through step-by-step examples, she shows how to group data to calculate total order amounts…
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Learn how to quickly assign full schedules to all employees using SQL cross joins. In this Data Survival Skills session, Robin demonstrates how to create two tables—one for employees and one for schedules—and use a cross join to generate every possible combination. She shows how to execute the scripts in SQL Server, verify the results,…
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Learn how to save hours on recurring tasks using date functions in Excel. In this Data Survival Skills session, Robin demonstrates how Explore California streamlined their customer survey process by calculating follow-up dates automatically. She shows how to use functions like EOMONTH to shift survey notifications from a daily workflow to a monthly schedule, dramatically…
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Learn how to create print-ready, state-specific reports in Power BI. Printed reports are still essential for executive meetings, but recreating dashboards for print can be time-consuming. In this Data Survival Skills session, Robin demonstrates how to duplicate dashboard pages, adjust visuals for letter-size portrait layouts, and add summary cards that show totals and distinct counts.…
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Learn how to build paginated reports that scale with your data. Dashboards are great for visual exploration, but when you need detailed, multi-page printouts, paginated reports are essential. In this Data Survival Skills session, Robin demonstrates how to leverage a single Power BI dataset to create reports that are both printable and interactive. You’ll learn…
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Learn how to create clear, actionable briefs for your data projects. Delivering data sets isn’t just about sharing numbers—it’s about providing context. In this Data Survival Skills session, Robin shows how to build simple data briefs that summarize projects, define cohorts, highlight key fields, and document sources and transformations. You’ll learn how to structure your…
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Learn how to uncover long-term customer trends with cohort analysis. Every dataset tells a story, but sometimes the most powerful insights come from asking different questions. In this Data Survival Skills session, Robin introduces cohort analysis—a method of grouping customers by a shared characteristic, like the date of their first tour. Instead of just tracking…
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