Python for Spreadsheet Manipulation 101: Hands On Session

Katie is presenting!

Have you ever dreaded the first of the month because you know there's a CSV or XLSX spreadsheet waiting in your inbox that is going to consume half your day to clean up in Excel, just like it did last month, and the month before that, and the month before that...?

Python is a programming language that, together with its extension Pandas, has exploded in popularity among "non-programmers" with data to crunch because of its simplicity to write.

If you are a bit of an "Excel formula geek" or "Salesforce formula field go-to" or "Salesforce Process Builder whiz," YOU CAN DO THIS!

(Disclaimer: if you toss spreadsheets in terror to your "Excel power-user" coworker, you might find this Salesforce Saturday a bit of a challenge.)

With a practical focus on real-world Salesforce Admin problems, we'll cover writing and combining spreadsheet edits such as:

1. Adding and removing rows and columns (including by traits like "column name starts with...")

2. Modifying only cells that meet certain criteria

3. Pivoting data into a different shape

4. Combining spreadsheets on data they share in common (think "VLOOKUP")

5. Looping over every file in a directory, running the same program against each file

Agenda:

11-11:30: Networking and social time

11:30-2: Hands-on training (remote in at https://pypancsv.github.io/pypancsv/pres201810a/ -- but you'll get more one-on-one help if you come in person!)

2-2:30: Networking and social time

Location:

Room #117, McNeely Hall ("MCH", not to be confused w/ "MHC"), on the southwest corner of Summit & Cleveland
University of St. Thomas, 2115 Summit Ave, St. Paul, MN 55105

Finding Room #117: Entering the building from the corner of Summit & Cleveland, walk south down the windows along Cleveland, and turn right after the "fishbowl"-style glass-sectioned suite of reception & offices to your right, as if you were going to the restrooms. (Stay on the ground floor.) Keep walking down this hallway past the restrooms (which are on your left); room #117 will be the first classroom on your right in the same hallway as the restroom.

Free Parking:

1. Any valid on-street parking that is along property owned by St. Thomas (it'll be the parking that isn't covered in signs warning you that it's residential permit only). See http://webapp.stthomas.edu/campusmaps/ for an outline of St. Thomas's property line. Caution: if St. Thomas only owns one side of a street, the other side of the street is probably permit-only.
2. Allegedly "lot A," which is at the southwest corner of Selby & Cleveland, but you enter it from Selby & Finn (driving past the "St. John Vianney" residential parking towards Cleveland, hugging Selby). Read signs carefully to verify whether parking is allowed without a permit on weekends.
3. Any valid on-street parking away from the "permit only" areas. North of Summit, "permit only" areas should die off at Howell (4 blocks east of Cleveland).

Paid parking:

4. Anderson Parking Facility, southwest corner of Cretin & Grand

Food:

Bring a lunch if you'll be hungry!

There isn't anything fast, healthy, & close enough to the classroom to grab a bite during a bathroom break (although there are vending machines).

The Anderson Student Center, on the northeast corner of Summit & Cretin, has good options at "T's" on the ground floor.

Otherwise, you can get made-to-order food at Davanni's or Coffee Bene very nearby on the southwest corner of Cleveland & Grand (but you won't get there, ordered, and back over a bathroom break).