DataAnalyst011 (6/27/2013)
From time to time I need to check if a column is completely numeric (or usually, check for the row contain something other than numeric). I've read the ISNUMERIC has problems. I've used LIKE '%[0-9]%'? successfully, but even after reading around in several places I still don't understand how it works. And I don't want to use anything I can't support. Would someone mind giving me a blow by blow explanation of what each "thing" is doing here? (And if the statement needs to be improved please do so. I've seen some use a ^ in the statement before).
Based on the word "ISNUMERIC" and the description above, I believe you're looking for an "IsAllDigits" solution. The following article will help with that.
http://www.sqlservercentral.com/articles/IsNumeric/71512/
I also recommend that you lookup "LIKE" in Books Online (the "help" system that comes with SQL Server). There will also be a popup when you search for "LIKE" in Books Online with the title "Pattern Matching in Search Conditions". That would be very good to study, as well.
--Jeff Moden
Change is inevitable... Change for the better is not.