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User basics
Learn about the key concepts and terminology that provide the foundation for the 1010data Insights Platform.
Data types and display formats
Data types govern how data is stored internally, and display formats control how that data is displayed.
Data types
There are four simple data types that represent how information is internally stored in the 1010data Insights Platform.
Text
The text data type (text) is used to represent values that contain uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, spaces, and symbols.

User basics
Learn about the key concepts and terminology that provide the foundation for the 1010data Insights Platform.
- Versions
  The 1010data Insights Platform is available in both a stable production version of the system (Prime) and a version that provides access to the latest features (Beta).
- Sessions
  A session in the 1010data Insights Platform is an established period of communication between a user and the system. A single user ID can only have one session active at a time.
- Workspace
  The workspace is an individual instance of the 1010data Insights Platform user interface.
- Virtual memory
  The quantity of data that your session can handle at the same time is determined by the amount of virtual memory assigned to your user ID.
- Rows and columns
  Within the 1010data Insights Platform, you will manipulate rows and columns to view your data and perform new computations to gain further insight into your data.
- Data types and display formats
  Data types govern how data is stored internally, and display formats control how that data is displayed.
  - Data types
    There are four simple data types that represent how information is internally stored in the 1010data Insights Platform.
    - Integer
      The integer data type (int) is used to represent whole numbers that can be stored within 32-bits.
    - Big integer
      The big integer data type (bigint) is used to represent whole numbers that are outside the range of the integer data type and can be stored within 64 bits.
    - Decimal
      The decimal data type (dec) is used to represent 64-bit floating point values.
    - Text
      The text data type (text) is used to represent values that contain uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, spaces, and symbols.
    - Dates and time
      While dates and times are typically stored in columns that have an integer or decimal data type, they must be specified in a valid form to produce the expected results.
  - Display formats
    Display formats control how values are displayed within columns in the 1010data Insights Platform.

Text

The text data type (text) is used to represent values that contain uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, spaces, and symbols.

Columns of type text can store information such as:

Customer IDs (9a90e2f6)
Product names (GARLIC GUACAMOLE ZESTY)
Sizes (500 ML)
Geographic locations (Boulder, CO)

Columns of type text may have values that appear to be integers, decimals, or big integers. It may be difficult to distinguish these values from other numeric values in columns of type decimal or type integer. Text type values cannot be summed (via a quick summary) or added to another column (using a computed column ). There are some numeric values that should be stored in columns of type text. For example:

Social security numbers
Zip codes (00616)
SKUs (94873)

These numeric values are not added together, are not added to other values, and may begin with a 0, which would be removed in an integer, decimal, or big integer column, even though it is a valid and necessary part of that value.

Columns of type integer, decimal, or big integer should be used when mathematical functions need to be performed on the numeric values.

In some places in the 1010data Insights platform, the text data type (text) is also represented as a or alpha.