The idea in practice

Good inputs preserve meaning. A blank cell, a zero and an unavailable field are different states, while currency and date conventions can change how a table should be interpreted.

Try the distinction on a real task

This is an illustrative request, not a customer result or a promise that every connected service supports every step.

Inspect the sheet's dates, currencies and missing values before computing totals.

How to apply it

  • Identify field meanings
  • Separate missing and zero values
  • Review units and date formats

What to check

Check ambiguous dates and mixed currencies before accepting the output.

A mistake to avoid

Do not let a convenient cleaning rule erase records that matter to the question.

Using Bris for this work

Analytical work starts with a question and a defined dataset. Bris can help organize sources, examine figures and prepare a reviewable output. Check the units, date window, missing values and formulas before using the result to make a decision.