[teilo]

Before there was Pandas I wrote a website (using Django) to transform grid data into a denormalized CSV file. In other words, a reverse pivot. Basically it converts multiple header rows and header columns as separate fields for each intersecting value.

I've written this basic routine several times over in my career (once in Access VBA!) for different reasons. The current version of it is used to convert a store/item/quantity grid into per-store pick/pack slips.

Pandas has a built-in function that can de-pivot a table. I'm not sure it can handle my use case, however, with multiple header rows. Mine also has extra goodies like populating blank row or column values with the previous value in the row-column, among other bizarre features written to grapple with the inconsistent ways our clients make their distro spreadsheets. Trying to break them of their reliance on Excel for this type of planning has proven futile.

I'll have to spend some time with Bonobo and Pandas before I take on refactoring our grid tool. It needs a refactor mostly because I'm the only one who understands it. The new data munging libraries would surely simplify some very gnarly logic, and make it accessible to other developers should I get hit by a bus or leave the company.