The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word TABULATOR
I've seen this crossword clue in The Times
T
A
B
U
L
A
T
O
R
More clues leading to the result TABULATOR
Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "I put facts in columns" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case i put facts in columns = tabulator.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does TABULATOR mean?
TABULATOR noun- A person who counts or tabulates things.
- The mechanism on a typewriter that sets the position of columns and borders.
- An early data processing machine that produces printed lists and totals from data on punched cards.