Minitab Connect®  Support

Common tasks using the Prep Tool

Learn more about Minitab Connect
Learn about common tasks you can do with the Prep Tool.

In This Topic

Add data to an existing table

You can add individual data records or import a group of data records to an existing table.

Use Add to add individual records

  1. Open the Prep Tool .
  2. Select Add and populate the desired fields.
  3. Select Submit to add the record to the table.

Use Import to add multiple records

  1. Open the Prep Tool .
  2. Select Import .
    • Under Type, select Text to copy and paste multiple records at the same time.
    • Under Type, select File to import a file with all the records.

Edit and delete table information

You can change or delete individual data records or you can delete an entire table.

Edit or delete individual data records

Follow these steps to edit or delete individual records.

  1. Open the Prep Tool .
  2. Select the records that you want to edit or delete. You can change one data value or data record at a time, or you can select multiple records. To select multiple records, check the boxes in the left most column. To select all the records, check the box at the top of the worksheet.
  3. Right-click and choose Edit Records or Delete Records.
    • With Edit Records, make your changes and then select Submit to update the records.
    • With Delete Records, confirm that you want to delete your records.
  4. Select Save to save your changes.

Delete all data rows from a table

Follow these steps to delete all rows from a table.

  1. Open the table and go to the Prep Tool .
  2. Use the Delete button to delete all rows.
  3. Confirm that you want to delete all records. The table and fields still exist, but all the data records are deleted.

Delete and purge a table

Follow these steps to delete and remove a table from Minitab Connect.

  1. Select the Minitab Connect button to open the Navigation pane.
  2. Under Tables, browse to the table that you want to delete. Open the table.
  3. Go to the Base Tool .
  4. Use the Delete button and Purge button to permanently remove a table.

Export data to external applications

With Minitab Connect you can push or pull your prepped data into various applications. You can push data with a simple export. You can pull data by setting up a connection from the external application to import data into Minitab Connect.

Use Export to push data to external applications

You can export data to external applications, such as Minitab® Statistical Software.

Open the Prep Tool .
  • Select Export to Minitab to create a Minitab® worksheet (MWX).
  • Select Export to export your data to other formats.
    Note

    When you send information from Connect by email, it is recommended that you select an email encryption option from the PGP / GPG Encryption drop down.

Use an ODBC connection to pull data to external applications

It is easy to create an ODBC connection to Minitab Connect for frequent data imports. After a connection is made, external applications such as Tableau® or Microsoft® Power BI which have a live data pull, are automatically updated.

The Getting Started with Minitab Connect guide includes a step-by-step example of setting up an ODBC connection from Minitab® Statistical Software.

Create a custom data view

You can create a custom view of your data so that you can focus on the fields of interest. Each data table can have multiple views that you can save and name. These views can be used throughout the platform for ease of data reporting and analysis. Views do not change the actual data, but only change the presentation of the data. At any time, you can select Reset Config to see all the data in the table.

  1. Open the Prep Tool .
  2. On the Fields tab, select Remove All Fields to start with an empty field list. Depending on the number of columns, it may be easier to add or remove fields.
  3. Under Add a Field, select the fields to add to the view.
  4. Select Save .
  5. Under View, select New View. Under Name, enter a name to identify the new view.
  6. Select Save.

Filter your data

With Minitab Connect you can easily subset your data using a data filter.

  1. Open the Prep Tool .
  2. On the Filters tab, select Add Filter and select the field you want to filter.
  3. Next, define the filter. Select an expression and a value. For example, suppose you want a list of the restaurants that begin with the letter "C". Use the expression, Facility Type, Begins With, C. Select the button on the last selection box to open the SQL dialog box for more complicated filters.
  4. Select Run .
  5. Select Save .
  6. Under View, select New View. Under Name, enter a name to identify the new view.
  7. Select Save.

Filter your data to include or exclude particular values

From the data window in the Prep Tool, find the value that you want to include or exclude. Right-click and choose With this Value or Without this Value. Save the filter. Minitab Connect filters the data as you specify.
Note

This filter is added to the Filters tab and can be saved and edited like other filters you add from the tab.

Filter your data to include one value

Open the dropdown menu on the column that contains the value to filter. For example, suppose you want to filter the data to subset the records of 35 year-old people. Select the Age field name to open the dropdown menu for Age. At the bottom of the menu, in Filter, enter 35 to select all records with Age=35. Save the filter.
Note

This filter is added to the Filters tab and can be saved and edited like other filters you add from the tab.

Add a data prep

When you add aggregate data preparations such as Count, Sum, Min, or Max, the results are sorted by the other fields that do not have an aggregate Prep.
  1. On the Fields tab, select the View button next to the field to add the data prep.
  2. Select a data prep. For example, select Count to summarize the count of each item.
  3. Select Run .
  4. Select Save .
  5. Under View, select New View. Under Name, enter a new to identify the new view.
  6. Select Save.

Sort the data in a table

With Minitab Connect you can easily sort your data in ascending or descending order.

From the data window in the Prep Tool, find the data column that you want to sort by.
Note

This sort is added to the Sorts tab and can be saved and edited like other sorts you add from the tab.

  1. Open the Prep Tool .
  2. On the Sorts tab, select Add a Field and select the field you want to sort.
  3. Next, define whether to sort in ascending order or descending order. Select the left side of the slider to sort from smallest to largest, or select the right side of the slider to sort from largest to smallest.
  4. Select Run .
  5. Select Save .
  6. Under View, select New View. Under Name, enter a name to identify the new view.
  7. Select Save.

Highlight a data field

With Minitab Connect you can easily highlight a data column.

From the data window in the Prep Tool, find the data column that you want to highlight. Right-click the column header and choose Highlight. Choose Unhighlight to undo the highlighting.

Copyright © 2024 Minitab, LLC. All rights Reserved.