SQL Server allows us to create our functions called as user defined functions in SQL Server. 

User defined functions is reusable,Instead of writing same logic again and again , we create a user defined function of it.

There are two types of SQL user defined functions as given below 

1. Scalar Function:  It is a function that always returns a single scalar data value. BEGIN .. END block is used in Scalar function.
2. Table Valued Functions: It is a user defined function in SQL Server that returns a tabular result set. There are two types of Table Valued functions as given below.

• • Inline Table valued Functions: This function returns a tabular result set based on a single Select Statement .
  • Multi-Statement Table valued Functions: This function also returns the tabular result set. But, unlike the inline table valued function, It consists a series of T-SQL statements inside the function body and it has a BEGIN.. END block. 

Scalar Function

SYNTAX

CREATE FUNCTION fn_name (@parameter1 datatype1, @parameter2 datatype2, ...)
RETURNS  datatype 
AS BEGIN
RETURN 
{expression }
END

To get the sum of values using scalar function

Lets create a User defined scalar functions named Fn_CalulateSum that returns the sum of two input values.

CREATE FUNCTION Fn_CalulateSum( @A Int , @B Int)
RETURNS  INT
AS 
BEGIN
RETURN (@A + @B)
END

 

As you can see, the function Output for parameter values 10 & 125, it returns the sum of parameter values 10 and 125 that is = 135.

Select dbo.Fn_CalulateSum (10 ,125) as Get_Sum

Lets look at one more example of SQL scalar function.

To get the sum of unit price for a specific order Id using scalar function

Following Scalar function named Fn_getOrderPrice, returns the total sum of unit price based on input value for OrderId.

CREATE FUNCTION Fn_getOrderPrice( @OrderId Int )
RETURNS  INT
AS
BEGIN
RETURN (Select sum(UnitPrice) as totalprice 
From [Order Details] Where orderId = @OrderId)
END

As you can see the function output, It returns the total Unitprice for order Id = 10248

select dbo.Fn_getOrderPrice (10248) as total_unitPrice

Inline Table Valued Function

SYNTAX

CREATE FUNCTION fn_name
(@parameter1  datatype1,  @parameter2  datatype2 , ...  )
RETURNS TABLE AS RETURN (select .......)

CREATE FUNCTION Fn_getOrderDetails
(@OrderId Int)
RETURNS TABLE 
AS 
RETURN Select * from [Order Details] where orderId =@OrderId 

Here is the output of function , It returns the order details for order Id =10248.

Select * from Fn_getOrderDetails(10248)

Multi-Statement Table Valued Function

SYNTAX

CREATE FUNCTION fn_name( @parameter1  datatype1,  @parameter2  datatype2 , ...  )
RETURNS @returntablename TABLE
(column1 datatype 1, column2  datatype2, .....)
AS
BEGIN
INSERT INTO @returntablename   SELECT .....
RETURN
END

Following Multi-statement Table Valued function returns  OrderId, Unitprice and Quantity from table [Order details]  for a specific order id also deletes the records from output for which quantity value is <=5. 

CREATE FUNCTION fn_Orderdata(@OrderId Int)
RETURNS @ordrtbl TABLE(OrdrId int, UnitPrice numeric(18,2), Quantity numeric(18,2))
AS
BEGIN
INSERT INTO @ordrtbl
SELECT orderId ,unitPrice ,quantity from [Order Details] WHERE orderId =@OrderId
Delete from @ordrtbl where Quantity <=5;
RETURN
END

Here is the output of Multi-satement table valued function for Order Id =1028, also you can see, there is no qunatity which is less then equal to 5.

select * from fn_Orderdata (10248)

Difference Between Stored Procedure and User Defined Functions

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