SQL USED IN DATA ANALYTICS TO INTERACT WITH RELATIONAL
DATABASES. HERE'S A BREAKDOWN OF HOW SQL IS USED IN VARIOUS
ASPECTS OF DATA ANALYTICS:
1. Data Retrieval
- Basic Queries:
- Selecting Data:
SELECT * FROM sales_data;
Retrieves all columns from the `sales_data` table.
- Selecting Specific Columns:
SELECT product_name, sales_amount FROM sales_data;
Retrieves specific columns: `product_name` and `sales_amount`.
- Filtering Data:
- Using `WHERE`:
SELECT * FROM sales_data WHERE sales_amount > 1000;
Retrieves records where `sales_amount` is greater than 1000.
- Combining Conditions:
SELECT * FROM sales_data WHERE sales_amount > 1000 AND region = 'North America';
Retrieves records with multiple conditions.
- Sorting Data:
- Using `ORDER BY`:
SELECT * FROM sales_data ORDER BY sales_amount DESC;
Sorts the data in descending order based on `sales_amount`.
2. Data Aggregation
- Aggregating Data:
- Using `SUM`, `AVG`, `COUNT`:
SELECT SUM(sales_amount) AS total_sales FROM sales_data;
SELECT AVG(sales_amount) AS average_sales FROM sales_data;
SELECT COUNT(*) AS total_transactions FROM sales_data;
Calculates total sales, average sales, and total number of transactions.
- Grouping Data:
- Using `GROUP BY`:
SELECT region, SUM(sales_amount) AS total_sales
FROM sales_data
GROUP BY region;
Groups data by `region` and calculates total sales for each region.
- Filtering Aggregated Data:
- Using `HAVING`:
SELECT region, SUM(sales_amount) AS total_sales
FROM sales_data
GROUP BY region
HAVING SUM(sales_amount) > 5000;
Filters groups based on aggregated values.
3. Data Joins
- Inner Join:
- Combining Tables:
SELECT sales_data.product_name, products.product_category
FROM sales_data
INNER JOIN products ON sales_data.product_id = products.product_id;
Retrieves data combining information from `sales_data` and `products` tables based on a common
key.
- Left Join:
- Including All Records from the Left Table:
SELECT sales_data.product_name, products.product_category
FROM sales_data
LEFT JOIN products ON sales_data.product_id = products.product_id;
Retrieves all records from `sales_data` and matched records from `products`.
4. Data Transformation
- Creating Views:
- Defining a View:
CREATE VIEW high_sales AS
SELECT product_name, sales_amount
FROM sales_data
WHERE sales_amount > 1000;
Creates a view to simplify querying high sales records.
- Inserting Data:
- Inserting Records:
INSERT INTO sales_data (product_name, sales_amount, region)
VALUES ('Product X', 1200, 'North America');
Inserts new records into the `sales_data` table.
- Updating Data:
- Updating Records:
UPDATE sales_data
SET sales_amount = 1500
WHERE product_name = 'Product X';
Updates existing records in the `sales_data` table.
- Deleting Data:
- Deleting Records:
DELETE FROM sales_data
WHERE sales_amount < 500;
Deletes records based on a condition.
5. Data Analysis
- Subqueries:
- Using Subqueries:
SELECT product_name
FROM sales_data
WHERE sales_amount > (SELECT AVG(sales_amount) FROM sales_data);
Retrieves products with sales amounts greater than the average sales amount.
- Window Functions:
- Using `ROW_NUMBER`, `RANK`:
SELECT product_name, sales_amount,
ROW_NUMBER() OVER (PARTITION BY region ORDER BY sales_amount DESC) AS rank
FROM sales_data;
Assigns a rank to each product within its region based on sales amount.
- Common Table Expressions (CTEs):
- Defining a CTE:
WITH RegionalSales AS (
SELECT region, SUM(sales_amount) AS total_sales
FROM sales_data
GROUP BY region
SELECT * FROM RegionalSales WHERE total_sales > 5000;
Uses a CTE to simplify complex queries by breaking them into manageable parts.
6. Data Reporting
- Generating Reports:
- Creating Summary Reports:
SELECT region, COUNT(*) AS total_transactions, SUM(sales_amount) AS total_sales
FROM sales_data
GROUP BY region;
Generates a report summarizing sales and transaction counts by region.
HERE'S HOW SQL IS USED IN DATA ANALYTICS FOR SPECIFIC DOMAINS,
WITH PRACTICAL EXAMPLES FOR EACH:
1. Sales & Marketing
Data Retrieval & Analysis:
- Sales Performance Analysis:
SELECT product_name, SUM(sales_amount) AS total_sales, AVG(sales_amount) AS average_sales
FROM sales_data
GROUP BY product_name
ORDER BY total_sales DESC;
Retrieves the total and average sales per product, sorted by total sales.
- Customer Segmentation:
SELECT customer_id, COUNT(order_id) AS total_orders, SUM(order_amount) AS total_spent
FROM orders
GROUP BY customer_id
HAVING SUM(order_amount) > 1000;
Segments customers based on their total spending, showing those who spent over $1000.
Campaign Effectiveness:
- Campaign ROI:
SELECT campaign_name, SUM(revenue) AS total_revenue, SUM(cost) AS total_cost,
(SUM(revenue) - SUM(cost)) / SUM(cost) AS ROI
FROM campaign_data
GROUP BY campaign_name;
Calculates the Return on Investment (ROI) for different marketing campaigns.
2. Finance
Financial Reporting:
- Profit and Loss Statement:
SELECT department, SUM(revenue) AS total_revenue, SUM(expenses) AS total_expenses,
(SUM(revenue) - SUM(expenses)) AS net_profit
FROM financials
GROUP BY department;
Provides a summary of revenue, expenses, and net profit by department.
Budget Analysis:
- Budget vs. Actual:
SELECT budget_category, SUM(budget_amount) AS total_budget, SUM(actual_amount) AS
total_actual,
(SUM(actual_amount) - SUM(budget_amount)) AS variance
FROM budget_data
GROUP BY budget_category;
Compares budgeted amounts against actual spending to identify variances.
Financial Ratios:
- Liquidity Ratios:
SELECT company, (SUM(current_assets) / SUM(current_liabilities)) AS current_ratio
FROM balance_sheet
GROUP BY company;
Calculates liquidity ratios like the current ratio for companies.
3. Operations
Supply Chain Management:
- Inventory Turnover:
SELECT product_id, SUM(sales_quantity) / AVG(inventory_level) AS inventory_turnover
FROM inventory_data
GROUP BY product_id;
Measures how quickly inventory is sold and replaced for each product.
Production Efficiency:
- Machine Downtime Analysis:
SELECT machine_id, SUM(downtime_hours) AS total_downtime
FROM machine_data
GROUP BY machine_id
ORDER BY total_downtime DESC;
Analyzes and ranks machines based on total downtime.
Quality Control:
- Defect Rates:
SELECT product_line, COUNT(defect_id) AS total_defects, COUNT(order_id) AS total_orders,
(COUNT(defect_id) * 100.0 / COUNT(order_id)) AS defect_rate
FROM quality_data
GROUP BY product_line;
Calculates the defect rate for different product lines.
4. HR Analytics
Employee Performance:
- Performance Review Summary:
SELECT department, AVG(performance_score) AS average_performance
FROM employee_reviews
GROUP BY department;
Summarizes average performance scores by department.
Attrition Analysis:
- Employee Turnover:
SELECT department, COUNT(employee_id) AS total_employees,
SUM(CASE WHEN status = 'Terminated' THEN 1 ELSE 0 END) AS total_terminations
FROM employee_data
GROUP BY department;
Tracks employee terminations and total headcount by department.
Compensation Analysis:
- Salary Analysis:
SELECT job_title, AVG(salary) AS average_salary
FROM employee_salaries
GROUP BY job_title;
Calculates the average salary for different job titles.
Additional Examples Across Domains:
Sales & Marketing:
- Sales Forecasting:
SELECT date, SUM(sales_amount) AS daily_sales
FROM sales_data
GROUP BY date;
Provides a daily sales summary for forecasting trends.
Finance:
- Cash Flow Statement:
SELECT month, SUM(cash_inflow) AS total_inflow, SUM(cash_outflow) AS total_outflow,
(SUM(cash_inflow) - SUM(cash_outflow)) AS net_cash_flow
FROM cash_flow
GROUP BY month;
Summarizes cash inflows and outflows on a monthly basis.
Operations:
- Supplier Performance:
SELECT supplier_id, AVG(delivery_time) AS average_delivery_time
FROM orders
GROUP BY supplier_id;
Evaluates supplier performance based on average delivery time.
HR Analytics:
- Training Effectiveness:
SELECT training_program, AVG(post_training_score) - AVG(pre_training_score) AS score_improvement
FROM training_data
GROUP BY training_program;
Measures the effectiveness of training programs by comparing pre- and post-training scores.
SQL provides the backbone for querying, analyzing, and managing data across various domains, making
it essential for data-driven decision-making and reporting.
