SQL UNPIVOT Makes My Data Skinny

If you're anything like me, you will have eagerly sucked data into PowerPivot, keen to get cracking with solving all of your reporting needs. If you're an Accountant (amongst others) doing this, you will no doubt have brought your trial balance dataset in and found endless columns of values representing monthly values. "How do I get time intelligence to work with this?" is probably one of the first issues you've encountered and then, further down the line, when you've conjured up complex measures to resolve this problem, the words "why can't I get this to run quicker" pass your lips. On this note, everyone should pay close attention to Less Columns, More Rows = More Speed! where Rob proves that the tall and skinny table is much more effective than a short and wide version.