Normalize (reformat) cross-tab data for Tableau without using Excel

Question

Tableau generally works best when input data is in \"normalized\" format, rather than cross-tab. This is also referred to as converting from \"wide format\" to \"long format

Answer 1

Well, you can use this handy Google Sheets script I made.

/*
normalizeCrossTab: Converts crosstab format to normalized form. Given columns abcDE, the user puts the cursor somewhere in column D.
The result is a new sheet, NormalizedResult, like this:

a     b     c    Field Value
a1    b1    c1   D     D1
a1    b1    c1   E     E1
a2    b2    c2   D     D2
a2    b2    c2   E     E2
...

Author: 
Steve Bennett
stevage@gmail.com
@stevage1

Licence: Public Domain

*/

function start() {
  var html = HtmlService.createHtmlOutput(
    '' + 
    '' +
    '' + 
    '' +
    '
Convert cross-tab
'+
    '
This macro converts cross-tab data which has multiple dependent variables (eg, observations, sales figures) per row into a normalized format with one dependent variable per row.
' + 
    '
The name of each dependent variable becomes the value of a new column called Field and its value goes in a column called Value.
' +
    '
Move all independent variable columns to the left
' + 
    '    
Place the cursor in the first dependent variable column
'+
    '
Continue
' + 
    '
' +
    '
Normalize
' + 
  '
More information
')
      .setSandboxMode(HtmlService.SandboxMode.IFRAME)
      .setTitle('Normalize cross-tab')
      .setWidth(300);
  SpreadsheetApp.getUi() // Or DocumentApp or FormApp.
      .showSidebar(html);
}

function onOpen() {
  var ss = SpreadsheetApp.getActive();
  var items = [
    {name: 'Normalize Crosstab', functionName: 'start'},
  ];
  ss.addMenu('Normalize', items);
}


function normalizeCrosstab(really) {
  if (!really) {
    return start();
  }
  var sheet = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSheet(); 
  var rows = sheet.getDataRange();
  var numRows = rows.getNumRows();
  var values = rows.getValues();
  var firstDataCol = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveRange().getColumn();
  var dataCols = values[0].slice(firstDataCol-1);

  var resultssheet = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet().getSheetByName("NormalizedResult");
  if (resultssheet != null) {
    SpreadsheetApp.getActive().deleteSheet(resultssheet);
  }
  var header = values[0].slice(0, firstDataCol - 1);

  var newRows = [];

  header.push("Field");
  header.push("Value");
  newRows.push(header);

  for (var i = 1; i <= numRows - 1; i++) {
    var row = values[i];
    for (var datacol = 0; datacol < dataCols.length; datacol ++) {
      newRow = row.slice(0, firstDataCol - 1); // copy repeating portion of each row
      newRow.push(values[0][firstDataCol - 1 + datacol]); // field name
      newRow.push(values[i][firstDataCol - 1 + datacol]); // field value
      newRows.push(newRow);
    }
  }
  var newSheet = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet().insertSheet("NormalizedResult");
  var r = newSheet.getRange(1,1,newRows.length, header.length);
  r.setValues(newRows);
};

function getDataColumns() {  
  var sheet = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSheet(); 
  var rows = sheet.getDataRange();
  var values = rows.getValues();
  var firstDataCol = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveRange().getColumn();
  var dataCols = values[0].slice(firstDataCol-1);
  return dataCols;

}

Full write-up with instructions on how to install.