Random Sample of Rows
Choose how many rows or what percentage to pick. Sample from the whole table or from each group, such as each region, and keep the seed to get the same sample again.
Drag a file here or choose one
Worked examples
Repeatable draw
100 rows, 10 rows wanted, seed abc
The same 10 rows each time
Changing the seed, or using Choose again, gives a different set of 10.
Percentage inside groups
Region North has 20 rows, South has 10; 10 percent, grouped by Region
2 North rows and 1 South row
10 percent of 20 is 2, and 10 percent of 10 is 1.
About Random Sample of Rows
A sample lets you check a few hundred rows instead of ten thousand. Auditors pull a sample of invoices, researchers review a sample of survey responses, and developers test an import on a small part of a file first. Every row has the same chance of being chosen, and no row is chosen twice.
Choose the size as a number of rows or a percentage of the rows. To sample inside groups, pick a column such as region: the number or percentage then applies within every group, so small groups are not missed and the sample stays in proportion. The seed fixes the draw. The same seed on the same table gives the same rows every time, which makes a sample something you can repeat and show to someone else. Press Choose again for a different draw.
How to use Random Sample of Rows
- Paste your CSV or open a file.
- Enter how many rows you want, or choose a percentage.
- Optionally choose a column to sample from each group.
- Note the seed shown, then download the sample.
Common uses
- Auditing a sample of invoices or transactions
- Reviewing a sample of survey responses
- Testing an import or a report on a small part of a large file
- Splitting off a sample of customers for a trial
Frequently asked questions
What is the seed for?
It starts the random number generator. The same seed with the same table always picks the same rows, so you can repeat or share a sample. Leave it blank and one is chosen for you, then shown.
Is each row equally likely to be chosen?
Yes. Rows are picked by a shuffle in which every row has the same chance, and a row can appear only once.
How does sampling within groups work?
The amount applies to each group on its own. Five rows from each region gives up to five rows for every region; 10 percent gives a tenth of each region, rounded to the nearest row.
What if I ask for more rows than there are?
You get every row. With groups, a group with fewer rows than you asked for gives all of its rows.
Are the rows kept in their original order?
By default yes, so the sample reads like the file. Untick the box to leave them in the order they were drawn.