Graphical user interface for filtering import data in a data modeling mode of operation

1. A method, comprising:

at a computer having a display, one or more processors, and memory storing one or more programs configured for execution by the one or more processors:

retrieving a dataset from a database, wherein the dataset includes a plurality of fields, including a first field;

in response to retrieving the dataset, displaying a data-preparation graphical user interface that includes a first region displaying a grid with a respective column of data values from the dataset for each of the plurality of fields, including a first column displaying data values for the first field, and a second region that displays a sequence of operations applied to the dataset;

receiving a user action to specify a first filter for the first field; and

in response to receiving the user action:

removing rows from the grid whose corresponding data values in the first column do not satisfy the first filter;

identifying one or more additional rows from the dataset, not previously displayed in the grid, whose data values for the first field satisfy the first filter;

displaying the one or more additional rows in the grid; and

inserting an operation identifier into the third region that identifies the first filter;

wherein the first filter does not change an order of the data values displayed in the first column.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving a second user action that specifies splitting of a second field of the plurality of fields;

in response to receiving the second user action:

adding a first new column and a second new column to the grid;

applying a splitting operation to each data value for the second field to form a respective primary data value and a respective secondary data value;

for each row in the grid, displaying the respective primary data value in the first new column and displaying the respective secondary data value in the second new column; and

inserting a second operation identifier into the third region that identifies the splitting operation.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein:

the second field has a date data type; and

applying a splitting operation to each data value for the second field to form a respective primary data value and a respective secondary data value comprises:

computing a respective month value as the respective primary data value; and

computing a respective year value as the respective secondary data value.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving a second user action that specifies merging data values for a second field and a third field of the plurality of fields;

in response to receiving the second user action:

adding a first new column to the grid;

for each row of the grid, concatenating a respective data value for the second field with a respective data value for the third field to form a respective merged value and displaying the respective merged value in the first new column; and

inserting a second operation identifier into the third region that identifies the merging.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving a second user action on a cell in the grid, changing an initial value to a user-specified value, wherein the cell corresponds to a first row and corresponds to a second column;

in response to receiving the second user action:

identifying a plurality of rows in the grid that also have the same initial value in the second column;

for each of the identified plurality of rows, updating the data value in the second column to be the user-specified value, without additional user input; and

inserting a second operation identifier into the third region that identifies updating the data values for the second column.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the user-specified value is blank.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the third region is a data flow pane that includes a flow diagram having a plurality of nodes, at least a subset of the nodes correspond to the sequence of operations applied to the dataset, and inserting an operation identifier into the third region comprises inserting a new node into the flow diagram.

8. A computer system for data preparation, comprising:

a display;

one or more processors;

memory; and

one or more programs stored in the memory and configured for execution by the one or more processors, the one or more programs comprising instructions for:

retrieving a dataset from a database, wherein the dataset includes a plurality of fields, including a first field;

in response to retrieving the dataset, displaying a data-preparation graphical user interface that includes a first region displaying a grid with a respective column of data values from the dataset for each of the plurality of fields, including a first column displaying data values for the first field, and a second region that displays a sequence of operations applied to the dataset;

receiving a user action to specify a first filter for the first field; and

in response to receiving the user action:

removing rows from the grid whose corresponding data values in the first column do not satisfy the first filter;

identifying one or more additional rows from the dataset, not previously displayed in the grid, whose data values for the first field satisfy the first filter;

displaying the one or more additional rows in the grid; and

inserting an operation identifier into the third region that identifies the first filter;

wherein the first filter does not change an order of the data values displayed in the first column.

9. The computer system of claim 8 , wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions for:

receiving a second user action that specifies splitting of a second field of the plurality of fields;

in response to receiving the second user action:

adding a first new column and a second new column to the grid;

applying a splitting operation to each data value for the second field to form a respective primary data value and a respective secondary data value;

for each row in the grid, displaying the respective primary data value in the first new column and displaying the respective secondary data value in the second new column; and

inserting a second operation identifier into the third region that identifies the splitting operation.

10. The computer system of claim 9 , wherein:

the second field has a date data type; and

applying a splitting operation to each data value for the second field to form a respective primary data value and a respective secondary data value comprises:

computing a respective month value as the respective primary data value; and

computing a respective year value as the respective secondary data value.

11. The computer system of claim 8 , wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions for:

receiving a second user action that specifies merging data values for a second field and a third field of the plurality of fields;

in response to receiving the second user action:

adding a first new column to the grid;

for each row of the grid, concatenating a respective data value for the second field with a respective data value for the third field to form a respective merged value and displaying the respective merged value in the first new column; and

inserting a second operation identifier into the third region that identifies the merging.

12. The computer system of claim 8 , wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions for:

receiving a second user action on a cell in the grid, changing an initial value to a user-specified value, wherein the cell corresponds to a first row and corresponds to a second column;

in response to receiving the second user action:

identifying a plurality of rows in the grid that also have the same initial value in the second column;

for each of the identified plurality of rows, updating the data value in the second column to be the user-specified value, without additional user input; and

inserting a second operation identifier into the third region that identifies updating the data values for the second column.

13. The computer system of claim 12 , wherein the user-specified value is blank.

14. The computer system of claim 8 , wherein the third region is a data flow pane that includes a flow diagram having a plurality of nodes, at least a subset of the nodes correspond to the sequence of operations applied to the dataset, and inserting an operation identifier into the third region comprises inserting a new node into the flow diagram.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing one or more programs configured for execution by a computer system having a display, one or more processors, and memory, the one or more programs comprising instructions for:

retrieving a dataset from a database, wherein the dataset includes a plurality of fields, including a first field;

in response to retrieving the dataset, displaying a data-preparation graphical user interface that includes a first region displaying a grid with a respective column of data values from the dataset for each of the plurality of fields, including a first column displaying data values for the first field, and a second region that displays a sequence of operations applied to the dataset;

receiving a user action to specify a first filter for the first field; and

in response to receiving the user action:

removing rows from the grid whose corresponding data values in the first column do not satisfy the first filter;

identifying one or more additional rows from the dataset, not previously displayed in the grid, whose data values for the first field satisfy the first filter;

displaying the one or more additional rows in the grid; and

inserting an operation identifier into the third region that identifies the first filter;

wherein the first filter does not change an order of the data values displayed in the first column.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions for:

receiving a second user action that specifies splitting of a second field of the plurality of fields;

in response to receiving the second user action:

adding a first new column and a second new column to the grid;

applying a splitting operation to each data value for the second field to form a respective primary data value and a respective secondary data value;

for each row in the grid, displaying the respective primary data value in the first new column and displaying the respective secondary data value in the second new column; and

inserting a second operation identifier into the third region that identifies the splitting operation.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein:

the second field has a date data type; and

applying a splitting operation to each data value for the second field to form a respective primary data value and a respective secondary data value comprises:

computing a respective month value as the respective primary data value; and

computing a respective year value as the respective secondary data value.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions for:

receiving a second user action that specifies merging data values for a second field and a third field of the plurality of fields;

in response to receiving the second user action:

adding a first new column to the grid;

for each row of the grid, concatenating a respective data value for the second field with a respective data value for the third field to form a respective merged value and displaying the respective merged value in the first new column; and

inserting a second operation identifier into the third region that identifies the merging.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions for:

receiving a second user action on a cell in the grid, changing an initial value to a user-specified value, wherein the cell corresponds to a first row and corresponds to a second column;

in response to receiving the second user action:

identifying a plurality of rows in the grid that also have the same initial value in the second column;

for each of the identified plurality of rows, updating the data value in the second column to be the user-specified value, without additional user input; and

inserting a second operation identifier into the third region that identifies updating the data values for the second column.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 19 , wherein the user-specified value is blank.