Articles

Microsoft SQL Server

SQL Server calendar table (September 2013) 

A demonstration of SQL Server T-SQL script that will build a calendar table, and demonstrate ways to easily query it to perform what would otherwise be complex date expressions.

SQL Server calendar table: Tips and Tricks  (September 2015) 

A collection of tips and tricks when querying dates using a calendar table.

SQL Server calendar table: Fiscal Years  (September 2015) 

Almost every company measures results in some kind of year whether it be a calendar year or some other definition known as a Fiscal Year.  This article shows how to build on the SQL Server calendar table article to handle the Fiscal Year. 

SQL Server Delete Duplicate Rows Solutions (August 2014)

A code and image-rich montage of common Microsoft SQL Server 'How to delete duplicate rows?' solutions commonly provided at Experts-Exchange. 

SQL Server:  T-SQL recipe to create a million sample people (July 2013)

A how-to to create a table with a million rows of sample people with addresses, phone number, date of birth, and other demographic columns.  The best uses are to de-identify existing data, or create realistic-looking data from scratch.

T-SQL: Identify bad dates in a time series (August 2013)

A lessons-learned of dealing with various insurance clients and their needs in identifying gaps or overlaps in a 1:M table time series. 

SQL Server CASE Solutions (October 2013)

A grab-bag of T-SQL CASE block uses.

SQL Server GROUP BY Solutions (September 2013)

A grab-bag of T-SQL GROUP BY block uses.

SQL Server Training (March 2016)

A montage of SQL Server training options.

Extract, Transform, and Load (ETL)

Requirements Document Template for an ETL Project (March 2016)

Based on my development experience as an SSIS developer over the years.

SSIS Interview Tips and Tricks (March 2016)

Lessons learned during ten years of interviewing for SSIS and other ETL contract roles and two years of staff manager interviewing contractors.

T-SQL: Normalized data to comma delineated string and back  (March 2016)

Many times as a report developer I've been asked to display normalized data as a comma-separated string. Here's how to do it.

Microsoft SQL Server and Access

Migrating your Access Queries to SQL Server Transact-SQL (March 2014)

An overview of migrating your Microsoft Access queries to SQL Server Transact-SQL query language, and is intended to be a 101-level introduction.  The target audience is Access developers that are familiar with queries, but not very familiar with SQL Server. 

Microsoft SQL Server and Excel

Microsoft Excel & SQL Server:  Self service BI to give users the data they want (May 2014)

How to build an Excel spreadsheet that allows users to enter select values via populated combo boxes and hit a magic 'Go' button that retrieves only that data from SQL Server based on those selections, using nothing more than standard Microsoft Excel functionality and an ODBC connection. 

 

Project Documentation

Requirements Document Template for a Reporting Project (August 2013)

Based on my development experience as an SSRS, Crystal Reports, and Access developer over the years.  

Requirements Document Template for an ETL Project (August 2015)

Based on my development experience as an SSIS developer over the years.  

Microsoft Access

Table Based Access Variables (December 2013)

How to create your own variables in Microsoft Access that can be used anywhere and saved between user sessions, resulting in making life easier on users, make maintenance easier for developers, and frames up Super Awesome Developer Ninja Stuff!

 

Other Topics

Contracting:  How to go out on your own (March 2013)

This article is a 'how I did it' of converting froma  full-time employee to an independent contractor with my own business.

Top 10 Ways to Ask Better Questions (June 2015)

The opinions of myself and an informal group of experts that have answered a ton of technical questions over ten plus years each, learned from our experiences, and not only have scars to prove it but a big photo album called 'Chicks Dig Scars'.

Top 10 Ways to Write Rock Star Technical Articles  (May 2015)

How to write articles for greater odds of being published and maximum points.

Custom Image from a Screenshot (May 2015)

A quick and dirty way to create a custom image from a screenshot to use in questions, articles, or any document using a Windows PC that does not require installing extra software, and creates a compact image of what you wish to display that does not show any unneeded background space.