📐 Long vs. Wide Format: Which Should You Use?
Choosing between long and wide data formats can make or break your workflow—especially when it comes to analysis, visualization, or preparing reports. This guide will help you figure out the best structure for your dataset based on your goals and tools. 🧠 Start With the Right Questions Before reshaping your data, ask yourself: 1. What are you trying to do with the data? Analyze it (e.g., run time-series or trend models)? Visualize it (e.g., bar charts, line graphs)? Use it in tools like R, Python, Excel, or Tableau? 🔧 Pro tip: Tools like ggplot2 in R or pandas in Python often prefer long format. ...