Pivoting and un-pivoting the data is not that hard as some people tend to think. Provided you understand what is expected of you, it will only be a matter of time before you understand everything. If you’re still finding it hard, then you have definitely come to the right place. In this post, we will take you through how to perform a SQL Pivot and SQL Unpivot operation. Read on and find out more.
How to Perform a SQL Pivot Operation
When relying on a dataset derived from the AdventureWorks2014 database, you’ll only have to make do with a simple dataset with SalesYear column together with one quantitative value TotalSales. Since the dataset is ready for pivoting, you might be asked to transpose the data. To pull this off successfully, it is mandatory for you to take every distinct year in the column. Keep in mind these columns eventually become the header of the pivot columns.
How to Perform a SQL Unpivot Operation
Now that you already know how to perform a SQL pivot operation, you also need to be fully aware of the un-pivoting process. Fortunately, this is just as simple as going from horizontal to vertical. When this is the case, you only have to take the distinct columns selected, and it would eventually turn those columns headers into their own rows. Remember, pivoting can be compared to rotating from vertical to horizontal whereas un-pivoting is like rotating from horizontal to vertical.
You ought to remember that SQL pivot operation results in transposing the aggregated result into column but UNPIVOT SQLis not necessarily a reversal of transposing columns into the segregated values of rows. For this reason, the Unpivot operator is not going to split the aggregated results.
Final Thoughts
The above-mentioned tips will prove beneficial when using the SQL Server adventureworks2014 database. Do not shy away from seeking the help of experts in the field if you’re to have an easy ride. Through this action, it is never going to take long before you get done with everything.