Stacked and unstacked data

Stacked and unstacked data are ways of arranging data in the worksheet.

Stacked data

If data are stacked, the values for all groups are in a single column. A corresponding column of labels identifies the group. This column of labels is sometimes referred to as a grouping column, By Column, or subscript column. In the following worksheet, the grouping column is Franchise.

C1	C2-T
Time to Complete	Franchise
16	Altoona
18	Altoona
14	Harrisburg
13	Harrisburg

Unstacked data

If data are unstacked, each column contains observations from one group. There is no grouping column.

C1	C2
Altoona	Harrisburg
16	14
18	13

You can use tools in the Data menu to stack unstacked data, or vice versa, although Minitab analyses and graphs often accept either format. You can stack or unstack data in the following ways.

Action	Instructions
Stack data from separate columns into one column.	Choose Data > Stack > Columns.
Stack data from two or more blocks of columns into one block of columns.	Choose Data > Stack > Blocks of Columns.
Copy data that is across rows into one column.	Choose Data > Stack > Rows.
Split the data that is in one or more columns into separate columns by values in a different column.	Choose Data > Unstack Columns.