Monthly data in multiple columns or single

[mb0307]

Hi all,

Just a data queries before I start the modelling work in power bi.

I receive the Sales data in multi-columns format (horizontal) like this:

Jan |

Feb |

Mar |

Apr |

May |

Jun |

...... Keeps on expanding

and the columns keeps on increasing/decreasing based on previous/current/future years - which might be a problem for dax as it will require updating each time a column is add or dropped? 

Is it a best practice (and keeping in mind that all the DAX i may write for calculations) to transpose the data into one column, like this:

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

..... Keeps on expanding

Thoughts please..

Thanks

[mhossain]

@mb0307 

Agree with @Greg_Deckler  , unpivoting your data will make your calculation/DAX easier and better.

[pranit828]

HI @mb0307 

For the best outcome and also to use year into consideration and keeping the number of columns constant, it is best to unpivot and use it in the way you have described. You are on the right track.

[Greg_Deckler · Accepted solution]

@mb0307 - In general, yes, 9 times out of 10 you want to unpivot those month columns. Difficult to be 100% sure without more detail but almost certainly yes.