This course prepares participants to begin business intelligence projects at their own firm. The focus of the course is a hands-on approach to structuring data including generating new variables based on comparative and relative metrics. The structuring of these variables will be done in Excel, SAS, and Stata to give viewers a sense of familiarity with a variety of different software package structures.

The focus in this course is on financial data though the techniques are also applicable to more general forms of data like that used in marketing or management analyses.

***Please download and open all supporting materials before starting the course videos.***

Learning Objectives
  • Discover how to evaluate data for accuracy using Benford’s Law
  • Explore how to develop ratios and relative metrics to better evaluate data
  • Explore how to develop moving average and other tools to smooth data over time
  • Discover how to create binary variables and decile rankings to evaluate data structure

***Each of the objectives above will be covered in Excel, SAS, and Stata

Last updated/reviewed: August 28, 2023

Included In Certifications

This course is included in the following Certification Programs:

15 CoursesData Analytics Professional (DAP) Certification

  1. The Fundamentals of Business Intelligence (BI): What it Does and Why it's so Essential
  2. How is Industry Using Big Data? – A Case Study Reading
  3. Business Intelligence - Data Collection and Cleaning
  4. Business Intelligence - Structuring Data for Analysis
  5. Business Intelligence - Fundamentals of Data Analysis
  6. Business Intelligence - Using Big Data Analytics
  7. Doing Data Analytics In Excel (Hands-on module)
  8. Regressions in Excel (Hands-on module)
  9. Financial Forecasting
  10. Advanced Analytics – Omitted Variables
  11. Advanced Analytics – Fixed Effects
  12. Case Study in Data Analytics
  13. Using Regressions for Forecasting
  14. Financial Forecasting in Excel (Hands-on module)
  15. Blockchain for Business
93 Reviews (521 ratings)

Reviews

4
Member's Profile
Great overview of the steps and potential hurdles that come while structuring data for Analysis and Business Intelligence. The only negative was that there was a bit too much discussion on financial metrics and ratios, which are interesting in themselves, but a bit off topic from the focus of the video. All in all great info and would recommend.

4
Anonymous Author
This was a great study to understand what to look for to ensure we have a good data set that will give us some answers we are looking for. Some of the data I need to follow up for instance the decile calculations. Also the illustrations were great just one small feedback note meant Benford but it read Bedford to an otherwise great study.

3
Anonymous Author
I incorrectly expected this course content to be more about generalized data analysis. The emphasis on business financial performance and predictive data was outside my domain knowledge, but that's on me since the course overview identified the use of financial data as an illustration.

4
Anonymous Author
These kinds of lectures are better in visual form. E.g. outliers and quintiles are easier to understand on graphs. Also, there are traditional financial ratios as an example for new variables, but what about other areas (e.g. customer behavior), are there useful variables to check?

5
Anonymous Author
Structuring data is very important, especially in the accounting field. With the amount of reports that we create we have to be careful about garbage in leading to garbage out. The ratios section of this course was a review for me but I found everything else to be helpful.

5
Member's Profile
The presentation was clear, concise, straightforward and well organized. Some aspects were cluttered while other areas were just lightly covered. a more even distribution of information would have been better. this however, is a great course.

4
Anonymous Author
As I intend to apply the concepts learned in this and Michael's other Data Analytics courses to non-accounting data, I found the focus on accounting ratios to be very specific to financial data analysis and not as applicable for my purpose.

4
Member's Profile
This course provides a good general overview of how to structure data appropriately. The emphasis on financial ratios and metrics seems overly specific to one domain, but makes sense given the instructor's background.

4
Anonymous Author
I'd really like to know which question I missed on the exam, that would be helpful. In general, I am really enjoying the class and finding the material helpful. However, I do not like having to write a review.

5
Member's Profile
Excellent professor, i learn new ratios and techniques, very good course, it give me much more interest on predicting ans evaluating data. It is absolutelly good and very usefull information.

5
Anonymous Author
This course is easy to follow and is a good refresher for financial ratios. I am also glad to learn about the use of Altman Z score and Binary variables for data analysis purpose.

4
Anonymous Author
I like the discussion of all the ratios you can use to determine possible ways to separate out an analysis. The use of binary variables will help this out tremendously as well.

4
Anonymous Author
Overall, it's a pretty good course that builds off the last and prepares you for the next. Gets a bit too detailed on certain aspects, but still manages to cover plenty.

4
Member's Profile
I had never even heard of Benford's law so that was interesting. Overall, a good explanation of building data to be analyzed without getting bogged down in the details.

3
Member's Profile
Course is beginning to repeat information addressed in other courses. The review can be helpful to a point, but it felt like it shot past the point of usefulness.

4
Anonymous Author
The ratios were explained well. There were a lot of equations, but the instructor was able to articulate the purpose and the expectations for them well.

5
Anonymous Author
This course serves a great refresher, particularly for anyone that is looking to increase their general understanding of structuring and analyzing data.

4
Anonymous Author
Solid review of data selection. A bit duplicative with some of the information, but over a good into to different formulas and ways to analyze data.

5
Anonymous Author
Course content was clearly delivered with ample examples that makes it easier to grasp the main ideas. Listing of ratios was required more focus.

4
Anonymous Author
Overall, good course. I thought it was a bit duplicative with some of the information discussed in previous courses, but still a good overview.

5
Anonymous Author
Michael did an excellent job detailing the importance of structuring data for analysis is a way that was easy to understand and very relatable.

5
Member's Profile
Very insightful for how to look at data. Discussion on the limitation of data is very helpful for looking at data in ways that can be useful.

2
Anonymous Author
this course was very boring and could have been more useful to have had some test questions in between lectures to retain my attention

3
Anonymous Author
For someone that doesn't have a finance degree, I think I needed the ability to walk through some of the formulas using examples.

5
Member's Profile
Lots of good information with useful ratios. The ratio section was the biggest draw for me. A good outline of tools available

4
Anonymous Author
The course covered well on structuring data for analysis, but seemed a little overloaded in content within the allotted time.

3
Anonymous Author
The majority of this seemed highly repetitive of the previous business intelligence courses, with much less new information.

5
Member's Profile
Great review of data selection or organizing. Really appreciated the talk about Benford Law, interesting to learn about that

5
Anonymous Author
I leaned data structure, assessing data, ratios and key metrics from my college and this course provided me a fresh review.

5
Member's Profile
I thought this course did a good job and was informative. It was nice to get a refresher on financial ratios and metrics.

5
Anonymous Author
I appreciated the instructor's crossover from one lesson to another. This cohesiveness blends the lessons together well.

5
Member's Profile
Great refresher for terms and ideas I learned in college. Also helped me find more practical applications of each topic

5
Anonymous Author
Great session. Learned a lot on statistics and how to organize and analyze large sets of data and why it is useful.

4
Anonymous Author
Nothing surprised me about this course. Everything went as expected. Nothing new here, but helpful review for me.

4
Anonymous Author
One of the questions was wrong. It asked about the Z score but referenced marketing rather than bancruptcy.

4
Member's Profile
This is an effective and clear introduction to the structuring of data obtained from a variety of sources.

5
Member's Profile
Good overview of data analysis. Not a lot of detail. But taken with the other courses, it makes sense.

4
Anonymous Author
This was a good course to begin understanding the initial steps required before data analysis can occur.

5
Anonymous Author
This course provides overview of how to structure data appropriately. Easy for beginners to understand.

5
Anonymous Author
Thank you for another course on data analytics. I appreciate the time you put into creating this course.

3
Member's Profile
The course had a lot technical information that was difficult to follow as I have never seen it before.

5
Member's Profile
This one was illustrative of some helpful categories. I enjoyed the description of the z statistic.

4
Member's Profile
I miss a little more practice. I think it is difficult to understand this subject with just the theory

5
Anonymous Author
This course was litter hard but very interesting, I would like the instructor to add more examples

5
Anonymous Author
Good presentation. Especially the discussion on imputing variables and total asset turnover ratio.

3
Anonymous Author
This is pretty high level and covers many basic ratios learned in introductory accounting courses.

5
Member's Profile
There is a problem with the quiz. It gives Bedford's Law as an answer rather than Benford's Law.

5
Anonymous Author
Basic intro into different formulas and ways to analyze both qualitative and quantitative data.

5
Member's Profile
Great overview of ratios and key metrics. Helpful to understand structuring data for business.

4
Anonymous Author
Very informational course. The mid-section can be a bit bland, but it's very useful knowledge.

5
Member's Profile
Interesting course in this series. Excited to check out the remaining courses in this series.

3
Member's Profile
The course had a large amount of overlap between the Data Collection and Cleaning course

3
Anonymous Author
This course gave a high level overview of tools to structure and begin analyzing data.

3
Anonymous Author
Test question on Altman Z refers to marketing efforts and should refer to bankruptcy.

4
Anonymous Author
Course was good & helped me learn how to structure and review the data for accuracy.

4
Anonymous Author
Great course that provides plenty of examples of how to use the ratios for analysis.

4
Member's Profile
this was good. it seemed similar to the last course i took, but it was good to learn.

3
Anonymous Author
Not a bad course, good summary overview. Overall objectives were clear and concise.

3
Anonymous Author
I wish Mr. McDonald had used more mathematical examples to illustrate his points.

5
Member's Profile
Course was informative and easy to navigate. I would recommend it to a colleague.

4
Member's Profile
Good course with valuable information. The presentation was very easy to follow.

3
Member's Profile
The course was put together well and the material was relatively easy to follow.

5
Anonymous Author
This course was very informative. The Ratios and Key Metrics portion was great.

4
Member's Profile
a good course with a good amount of coverage in the financial ratios area.

5
Member's Profile
Great instructor and I would suggest this course to a college finance student

5
Member's Profile
Great overview of how to process data to be able to ask "The Right Question."

5
Anonymous Author
Outstanding course. The level was advanced and provided significant detail.

5
Anonymous Author
.This course was helpful in determining different ways to structure data.

5
Member's Profile
The mechanics of completing the course appear to be subject to user error

4
Anonymous Author
It was good to learn about market scoring ratios as well as imputing data

5
Member's Profile
Very good course, easy to understand topic and PDF correlated perfectly

5
Member's Profile
Continuing to learn a lot as I work my way through these courses.

5
Anonymous Author
Great course. Helped clear up confusing on some of these topics.

4
Anonymous Author
Very interesting and insightful course. Very nicely put together.

3
Anonymous Author
This training did a good job of explaining ways to analyze data.

4
Member's Profile
Great review of the financial ratios, as well as data inputs.

4
Member's Profile
My video was freezing a lot so I had to use the slides for it

4
Anonymous Author
This exam was more challenging than the others! Good to see.

4
Anonymous Author
very helpful course on data structuring to be more efficient

5
Anonymous Author
Good course. Would recommend. Will be taking more courses.

5
Anonymous Author
Very good class, informative materials and well presented

4
Anonymous Author
More great info on Business Intelligence, useful course.

4
Anonymous Author
Had very useful information and review of data analysis.

5
Member's Profile
Everything about this course was absolutely fantastic.

5
Member's Profile
neat class on learning structure of data analysis!

5
Member's Profile
Great course! Very informative.

5
Member's Profile
Great course! Very informative

5
Member's Profile
Interesting and informative!

5
Anonymous Author
Very good course!

5
Anonymous Author
Very informative

4
Member's Profile
Useful course

5
Anonymous Author
Geat Course!

5
Anonymous Author
excellent

Prerequisites
Course Complexity: Intermediate

No Advanced Preparation or Prerequisites are needed for this course. However, it is recommended to take the other courses in the series prior to completing this one.

Education Provider Information
Company: Illumeo, Inc., 75 East Santa Clara St., Suite 1215, San Jose, CA 95113
Contact: For more information regarding this course, including complaint and cancellation policies, please contact our offices at (408) 400- 3993 or send an e-mail to .
Instructor for this course
Course Syllabus
INTRODUCTION and OVERVIEW
  Introduction to Business Intelligence - Structuring Data For Analysis1:29
Structuring Data for Business Analysis
  Data Structure Overview 6:40
  Assessing Data10:52
  Ratios and Key Metrics 18:16
  Categorical Variables 8:19
CONCLUSION
  Imputing Data and Conclusion 7:22
Continuous Play
  Business Intelligence - Structuring Data for Analysis Full Video52:59
SUPPORTING MATERIALS
  Slides: Structuring Data for Business AnalysisPDF
  Structuring Data for Business Analysis Glossary/IndexPDF
REVIEW and TEST
  REVIEW QUESTIONSquiz
 FINAL EXAMexam