UPDATE 1: the layout seems to have been updated, but at the time of writing (Feb 2026), you can still revert back to the old layout which is consistent with the screenshots UPDATE 2: going to the app centre from your exact online app might not work when you’re using inprivate browsing To get data […]
Azure Data Factory and the Exact Online REST API – Introduction
I’m going to do a small blog post series on how to extract data from a REST API using Azure Data Factory. I’m going to use the Exact Online REST API, because it has a series of challenges: a complicated process to get your first access token endpoints with more data will use pagination a […]
Techorama 2021 – Session Materials
You can find the slides and the scripts used at Github. Hopefully we’ll see each other next year at an in-person event.
The GREATEST new T-SQL Function
If the title isn’t obvious enough, this blog post is about the new function GREATEST, and it’s sibling LEAST. But wait, how come there’s a new T-SQL function? There isn’t a new release of SQL Server! That’s right, those two new functions are released in Azure SQL DB, Azure SQL Managed Instance and Azure Synapse […]
Speaking about Snowflake at Techorama 2021
I’m delighted to announce I’m selected to give an introduction to Snowflake on Azure at the virtual Techorama event. You can find more info about the session here. The agenda of the event looks very promising. There are many great sessions related to the Microsoft Data Platform, but the other categories are great as well. […]
Book review: Calling Bullshit – The Art of Skepticism in a Data-Driven World
I recently finished the book Calling Bullshit – The Art of Skepticism in a Data-Driven World by Carl T. Bergstrom & Jevin D. West. I found it a very entertaining read, and especially useful in this day and age of social media, fake news and deep fakes. Calling out bullshit has been necessary for a […]
#TSQL2sday 136 – Your Favorite Data Type
It’s T-SQL Tuesday time again, and this month’s honor to host the blog party goes to Brent Ozar. The topic is data types: Mad about money? Feverish about float? Tell us what you use your favorite data type for, and what people need to know before they get started using it. Data types have so many interesting […]
SSIS and the “ORA-00907: missing right parenthesis” error
I had the extreme pleasure recently to extract some data out of an Oracle database. I wrote the source query in Toad, where it executed successfully. I created my SSIS package, added the dataflow and an OLE DB Source component. I copy pasted the query into the editor and tested it using the preview. Which […]
STAR SCHEMA ALL THE THINGS
The title says it all, but I’ll explain it anyway. When building a data model that will be used for analysis by human beings, always create a star schemas. Or multiple star schemas connected with conformed dimensions. Why? Because it’s the most intuitive and user-friendly interface. Because remember, your data model is the user interface […]
Small Multiples in Power BI
In the December 2020 release of Power BI Desktop, a long-awaited feature was added as a preview: small multiples (also known as trellis chart). A feature request for this chart type has been made since 2015! Small multiple charts are a set of charts of the same type on a grid, allowing you to easily […]