IRVINE, Calif., Oct. 29, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Alteryx, Inc., the leader in data blending and advanced analytics, today announced the release of Data Blending For Dummies®, Alteryx Special Edition, a new book that explains how data analysts can use data blending to support business decision making. This Special Edition release, now available in eBook format, is a new addition to the 'For Dummies' line up— the world's best-selling reference series and a branded imprint of Wiley.

Alteryx released a Data Blending For Dummies®, Alteryx Special Edition booklet through Wiley publishing to help analysts and organizations understand what data blending is and how it can have an impact on their analytical process. This book focuses on these analysts and organizations that are still relying on traditional approaches to building analytical datasets.

With the expansion of data, and the types of data required by analysts to make criticial decisions, especially in the areas such as marketing, finance, and operations, getting the right data is now more important that ever. This is where empowering data and business analysts with data blending can make a massive difference. Data blending allows these analysts to be in complete control of the data process without having to rely on IT or data specialists for all things data related. Data Blending For Dummies®, Alteryx Special Edition details how the data blending process delivers access to ALL relevant data, the ability to cleanse and prepare that data, join multiple types of data, and then automate data processing to improve business insights.

The key to any good analysis starts with creating the right dataset. Data Blending For Dummies®, Alteryx Special Edition touches on some of the ways that vendors, and Alteryx in particular are making it easier for analysts to create the datasets they need; allowing them to focus more time on analysis, delivering deeper insight to decision makers in hours, not weeks.

"As the amount of data available to analysts continues to grow, the time and process needed to blend the data to deliver business insights becomes more challenging," said Rick Schultz, senior vice president of marketing at Alteryx. "To gain a competitive edge, data analysts need to be agile and Data Blending For Dummies will help them learn how to cut time-intensive, tedious processes—ultimately helping their company make faster, better-informed business decisions."

Readers of Data Blending For Dummies, Alteryx Special Edition, will learn what data blending is and how to:

• Improve the data preparation process allowing data analysts to support business decision makers
• Identify what features to look for in data blending tools
• Successfully deploy data blending within a business environment
• Gain a competitive advantage using data blending tools to increase data analyst efficiency

Data blending allows data analysts to leverage data from multiple relevant sources, including Big Data, the cloud, social media, third-party data providers, in-house databases, and more. Traditionally the data preparation and cleansing aspect, in order to perform advanced analytics has been an industry challenge.  With the intuitive software platform from Alteryx it empowers analysts to significantly reduce the amount of time to insight by hours, not the weeks typical of legacy approaches.

Availability

The new book, Data Blending For Dummies, Alteryx Special Edition, is available electronically. Download a free copy of the eBook, compliments of Alteryx.

About For Dummies® 

After 20 years, more than 250 million copies printed, and millions of e-books downloaded, For Dummies is the world's bestselling reference series, well known for enriching people's lives by making knowledge accessible in a fun and easy way. Loyal customers around the globe agree that For Dummies is "more than a publishing phenomenon … [it is] a sign of the times," [The New York Times]. With more than 1,800 active topics covering everything from health to history, music to math, sports to self-help, technology to travel, For Dummies is dedicated to Making Everything Easier. The For Dummies brand presence continues to expand wherever there is a need to know, including e-books, mobile apps, e-learning courses, a corporate custom publishing program, a robust consumer website and a licensed product line that includes consumer electronics, culinary, crafts, video, software, musical instrument packs, home improvement, automotive, game and more. For more information, visit Dummies.com. For Dummies is a branded imprint of Wiley.

About Alteryx, Inc.

Alteryx is the leader in data blending and advanced analytics software. Alteryx Analytics provides analysts with an intuitive workflow for data blending and advanced analytics that leads to deeper insights in hours, not the weeks typical of traditional approaches. Analysts love the Alteryx analytics platform because they can deliver deeper insights by seamlessly blending internal, third party, and cloud data, and then analyze it using spatial and predictive drag-and-drop tools. This is all done in a single workflow, with no programming required. More than 600 customers and thousands of data analysts worldwide rely on Alteryx daily. Visit www.alteryx.com or call 1-888-836-4274. Alteryx is a registered trademark of Alteryx, Inc.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20141030/155455

SOURCE Alteryx, Inc.

Matthew Madden

Sr. Product Marketing Manager

Matt Madden is a Sr. Product Marketing Manager at Alteryx. Matt has over 14 years of experience in the analytics and enterprise software industry. During his career he has held roles in sales and marketing, both with the same goal, to help organizations realize the power and benefits that analytics can have on their business.

Check http://pages.alteryx.com/Data-Blending-for-Dummies_LP-DA-W.html?sc=Web%20Direct&scd=blog

SOURCE Alteryx, Inc.