Technical communities · SINGAPORE
Singapore data workshops: resolve duplicate column names before importing
Keep the original field meanings visible when an importer renames two identical headers.
By Boardzip · Published · Updated
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Start with these checks
- A data-preparation exercise inspects original headers and imported fields
- Participants can examine a small table rather than only its chart
- The facilitator can discuss metadata and field mapping
The problem
A Singapore spreadsheet learner imports a table with two columns called duration; the tool adds a suffix, but the learner cannot tell which field the calculation now uses.
Keep the original columns in view
Make a small copy with the two original headers and a few invented rows. Note their positions before importing. A generated suffix makes a field addressable in a tool, but does not explain what that field measures. Write down which imported name corresponds to each original column rather than trusting an ordering you have not checked.
Recover meaning before inventing a new name
Read the source description or ask its owner what each duration represents. One could describe a journey and the other a wait, but treat that as an illustration until the actual fields are documented. Data.gov.sg’s content guidance calls for unique column headers. It does not tell you the meaning of an ambiguous table supplied by someone else.
- Data.gov.sg: Data types ↗ · Source checked
Name the concepts and preserve the mapping
Once the meanings are established, choose distinct working names that reflect those concepts. Keep a short mapping from original position and header to the new name. Do not delete a column because its heading repeats: it may contain different information. Re-run a small calculation that uses only one field and inspect its inputs to verify your selection.
Bring the import boundary to the workshop
Show the original table, imported names and one calculation together. Ask where the tool creates a name and where your own formula selects it. This question differs from repeated rows after joining tables: the ambiguity is in the fields before the calculation. Use Boardzip’s free event search to find data-preparation sessions, then confirm whether their exercise permits inspection of the source and import mapping.
Questions and answers
Can I use the automatically suffixed names?
Use them only with a verified mapping to the original meanings. A suffix separates identifiers in the tool; it does not supply the missing field definition.
Should I remove a column with a duplicate header?
First establish whether it is redundant or represents another concept. An identical name alone is insufficient reason to discard its values.
Sources and further reading
These references provide the guide’s source context and further reading. They do not confirm a current event, admission or an available place; check each listing’s organiser terms for those conditions.
- Data.gov.sg: Data types ↗Source checked
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