A dataset is simply a collection of rows and columns. If you have used Excel or Google Sheets, then one dataset is one worksheet. If you have built databases, it is one table.
Column of the dataset indicates various fields. Rows of the dataset indicates various records.
A dataset can contain the following type of data
- Dimension
- Measure
- Date
Dimension is a qualitative value / text / a field that you want to group your data with / measure your data against / use it as filter eg: City Name, Status, Salesperson, product number, etc. A number (like Product Number) can also be a dimension as the number represents something you can group by. In a Lens (Chart) Dimension is used in Bar & Filter.
Measure is a quantitative value / number / a field that gives actual value eg: Amount, Number of Cases, etc. While creating the dataset, it is important to identify the value fields and ensure that the column is marked as Measure. A measure can further be aggregated (like Count of Rows , Sum of Rows, etc.). In a Lens (Chart) Measure is used in Bar Length & Filter.
Date is used to denote Date fields in Dataset. If we mark the column as Date, then it helps in analysis by automatically allowing the grouping / filtering by Days, Months, Year and also Relative Dates like Last Week, Last Month, etc. In a Lens (Chart) Date is used in Bar & Filter.
Once the dataset is setup and ready to use, we can then build various charts and dashboards on top the datasets to provide useful analysis and insights for the business.