SQL Templates and Code Snippets in SSMS and SQL Prompt
Phil Factor explains the uses and limitations of native SSMS templates and snippets, and then demonstrates the extra versatility that SQL Prompt snippets provide.
2021-03-22
sql prompt
Reusing Query Results in SSMS
Every time you need to reuse the query results from SSMS, for example to populate another table, or to search for matching rows in another table, it will inevitably mean a lot of manual tweaking to the get the results into the right format. Louis Davidson uncovers three SQL Prompt gems that can remove all this pain.
2021-03-16
Sharing SQL Code Snippets with Coworkers, The World and Yourself
Louis Davidson explains how he manages and shares several different sources of SQL Prompt code snippets, in a single Snippet library, using Dropbox and source control.
2020-12-23
More Gems from the SQL Prompt Treasure Chest
Become the captain of your SQL Prompt ship by embarking on a voyage of discovery through the hidden treasures of the tool. You'll uncover features of the unknown that will enable you to write, format, analyze and refactor your SQL effortlessly. Join this webinar on December 16th to find out more.
2020-12-15
More Gems from the SQL Prompt Treasure Chest
Join Microsoft MVP Grant Fritchey and Redgate's Owen Standage on a journey through the hidden treasures of SQL Prompt. Discover features of the unknown that will enable you to write, format, analyze and refactor your SQL effortlessly.
2020-12-10
SQL Snippets Galore, Added to SQL Prompt
Imagine having at your fingertips all the metadata queries you need to explore your SQL Server databases and then, a few clicks later, all your diagnostic queries to troubleshoot their performance. Phil Factor demonstrates how it can be done, by storing each set of snippets in a standard JSON collection and using PowerShell to convert them to SQL Prompt snippet files.
2020-11-25
Managing Cross-Database Object References
Phil Factor explains cross database and cross-server references, how to find them in your code, and when it's better to avoid hard-coding these references and use synonyms instead.
2020-11-20
Creating a SQL Code Snippet in SQL Prompt and SSMS
Phil Factor's "getting started" guide for turning all your trusted and most frequently used queries into SQL code snippets.
2020-11-12
Questions about SQL Prompt you were too shy to ask
Phil Factor answers some questions you've been itching to ask about SQL Prompt, covering ranked code completion suggestions and auto-fixing SQL code smells, and suggesting where in the tool to find other nuggets of hidden treasure.
2020-11-06
SQL IntelliSense and Autocomplete in SSMS
Phil Factor reviews the major features of SSMS IntelliSense and autocomplete and then explains how SQL Prompt fills in the gaps, and how to use to use the two in tandem to 'get the best of both worlds'.
2020-11-02
Blogs
Don’t Miss Out – SQL Server Query Tuning Fundamentals Starts Next Monday!
Next Monday, February 9, 2026, my one-day live online training SQL Server Query Tuning...
Monday Monitor Tips: SQL Auditing Preview
By Steve Jones
One of the features we advocates have been advocating for is a better way...
SQL Server 2025 CU1 Fixes the Docker Desktop AVX Issue on macOS
Microsoft fixed the AVX instruction issue in SQL Server 2025 CU1. The container now...
Forums
25 Years of SQL Server Central
Comments posted to this topic are about the item 25 Years of SQL Server...
The Decoded Value
Comments posted to this topic are about the item The Decoded Value
Deploying SQL Server Developer Edition in Kubernetes: A Cost-Effective Alternative to RDS
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Deploying SQL Server Developer Edition...
Question of the Day
The Decoded Value
In SQL Server 2025, what is returned from this code:
DECLARE @message VARCHAR(50) = 'Hello SQL Server 2025!'; DECLARE @encoded VARCHAR(MAX); SET @encoded = BASE64_ENCODE(CAST(@message AS VARBINARY(1000))); SELECT BASE64_DECODE(@encoded)See possible answers