Skip to main content

Frequency-analysis workflow

Build a Frequency Table from a CSV Column

Count category values accurately after handling blanks, inconsistent labels and weighted versus unweighted records.

Use the matching tool

Frequency Analysis

Open Frequency Analysis

What the error actually means

A frequency table counts how often values occur, but inconsistent spelling and whitespace can split one category into several. Survey weights, repeated records and multi-select fields require additional rules before counts can be interpreted.

Likely causes

  • Categories use several spellings.
  • Blank values are omitted without reporting.
  • Duplicate records inflate counts.
  • One cell contains several selected categories.

Clean category count

Problem

Active and active counted separately

Correct pattern

Normalize a governed status field and report missing values alongside frequencies

A safe repair workflow

  1. 1Inspect raw unique values.
  2. 2Normalize approved variants.
  3. 3Decide how blanks and multi-select values behave.
  4. 4Generate counts and percentages with a stated denominator.

How to verify the result

A file that downloads successfully is not automatically a correct file. Check the result at both the structural and business-data levels:

  • Counts sum to the denominator.
  • Missing values are visible.
  • Duplicate policy is documented.
  • Rare categories are reviewed.

Read the deeper guides

How to Clean CSV Data Without Hiding the Original ProblemsLearn practical techniques to clean messy CSV files. Remove duplicates, fix formatting, and standardize data without Excel crashes or complex scripts.How to Remove Duplicates from CSV Files (3 Methods)Remove duplicate rows from CSV files using Excel, Google Sheets, or specialized tools. Learn when to use exact vs fuzzy matching.