Convert Rows to columns using 'Pivot' in SQL Server when columns are string data type [duplicate]

Question

I need to know whether 'pivot' in SQL Server can be used for converting rows to columns if there is no aggregate function to be used. I saw lot of examples with aggregate function only. My columns are string data type and I need to convert this row data to column data. This is why I wrote this question. I just did it with case. Can anyone help me......Thanks in advance.

Sample format

empid    wagecode    amount
  1      basic       1000
  1      TA           500
  1      DA           500
  2      Basic       1500
  2      TA           750
  2      DA           750

Desired output:

empid   basic    TA    DA
  1     1000     500   500
  2     1500     750   750

Answer 1

SELECT empid , [Basic], [TA],[DA]
FROM (
SELECT empid, wage, amount
FROM yourtable) up
PIVOT (SUM(amount) FOR wage IN (basic, ta,da)) AS pvt
ORDER BY empid
GO

Answer 2

Don't pivot if you always have 3 rows per empid. Just self join

SELECT
   t1.empid, 
   t1.amount AS basic,
   t2.amount AS TA,
   t3.amount AS DA
FROM
   MyTable t1
   JOIN
   MyTable t2 ON t1.empid = t2.empid
   JOIN
   MyTable t3 ON t1.empid = t3.empid
WHERE
   t1.wagecode = 'basic'
   AND
   t2.wagecode = 'TA'
   AND
   t3.wagecode = 'DA'

Also, welcome to the pitfalls of EAV designs