Converting data into formats that help you understand, analyze, and present information is required in all fields of work. Viewing data in a different format can help to unlock new insights that may otherwise go unnoticed. While data isn’t necessarily “hidden” in any format, by converting and restructuring data into something new, you often are exposed to the equivalent of a new perspective. It is this unique perspective that can give you a better and more well-rounded understanding of the data you have.

Data conversion is widely used for reasons related to accessibility. Often data is stored in a specific file format that only certain software can access and read. This is due to the innate structure of the file itself. While this was once a limitation, there are now many strategies for converting data which allows for greater flexibility and enables you to use the data in any way you’d like.

With more and more data being collected, it is inevitable that data conversion will be a task that you complete, no matter how simple or complex the conversion.