We have some common misconceptions on returning the last inserted identity value from tables. To return the last inserted identity value we have options to use @@IDENTITY or SCOPE_IDENTITY or IDENT_CURRENT function depending on the requirement but it will be a real mess if anybody uses anyone of these functions without knowing exact purpose. So here I want to share my thoughts on this.

@@IDENTITY, SCOPE_IDENTITY and IDENT_CURRENT are almost similar functions in terms of returning identity value. They all return values that are inserted into an identity column. Earlier in SQL Server 7 we used to use @@IDENTITY to return the last inserted identity value because those days we don’t have functions like SCOPE_IDENTITY or IDENT_CURRENT but now we have these three functions. So let’s check out which one responsible for what.

IDENT_CURRENT returns the last inserted identity value in a particular table. It never depends on a connection or the scope of the insert statement. IDENT_CURRENT function takes a table name as parameter. Here is the syntax to get the last inserted identity value in a particular table using IDENT_CURRENT function.

SELECT IDENT_CURRENT('Employee')

Both the @@IDENTITY and SCOPE_IDENTITY return the last inserted identity value created in any table in the current session. But there is little difference between these two i.e. SCOPE_IDENTITY returns value inserted only within the current scope whereas @@IDENTITY is not limited to any particular scope. Here are the syntaxes to get the last inserted identity value using these functions

SELECT @@IDENTITY
SELECT SCOPE_IDENTITY()

Now let’s have a look at the following example. Suppose I have two tables called Employee and EmployeeLog.

CREATE TABLE Employee
(
    EmpId NUMERIC(18, 0) IDENTITY(1,1) NOT NULL,
    EmpName VARCHAR(100) NOT NULL,
    EmpSal FLOAT NOT NULL,
    DateOfJoining DATETIME NOT NULL DEFAULT(GETDATE())
)

CREATE TABLE EmployeeLog
(
    EmpId NUMERIC(18, 0) IDENTITY(1,1) NOT NULL,
    EmpName VARCHAR(100) NOT NULL,
    EmpSal FLOAT NOT NULL,
    DateOfJoining DATETIME NOT NULL DEFAULT(GETDATE())
)

I have an insert trigger defined on the table Employee which inserts a new record in the EmployeeLog whenever a record insert in the Employee table. So Suppose I insert a new record in the Employee table using following statement:

INSERT INTO Employee (EmpName,EmpSal) VALUES ('Arefin','1')

The trigger will be fired automatically and insert a record in EmployeeLog. Here the scope of the insert statement and the trigger are different. In this situation if I retrieve last inserted identity value using @@IDENTITY, it will simply return the identity value from the EmployeeLog because it’s not limited to a particular scope. Now if I want to get the Employee table’s identity value then I need to use SCOPE_IDENTITY in this scenario.

So the moral is always use SCOPE_IDENTITY to return the identity value of a recently created record in a sql statement or stored procedure. It’s safe and ensures bug free code.

We have some common misconceptions on returning the last inserted identity value from tables. To return the last inserted identity value we have options to use @@IDENTITY or SCOPE_IDENTITY or IDENT_CURRENT function depending on the requirement but it will be a real mess if anybody uses anyone of these functions without knowing exact purpose. So here I want to share my thoughts on this.

@@IDENTITY, SCOPE_IDENTITY and IDENT_CURRENT are almost similar functions in terms of returning identity value. They all return values that are inserted into an identity column. Earlier in SQL Server 7 we used to use @@IDENTITY to return the last inserted identity value because those days we don’t have functions like SCOPE_IDENTITY or IDENT_CURRENT but now we have these three functions. So let’s check out which one responsible for what.

IDENT_CURRENT returns the last inserted identity value in a particular table. It never depends on a connection or the scope of the insert statement. IDENT_CURRENT function takes a table name as parameter. Here is the syntax to get the last inserted identity value in a particular table using IDENT_CURRENT function.

SELECT IDENT_CURRENT('Employee')

Both the @@IDENTITY and SCOPE_IDENTITY return the last inserted identity value created in any table in the current session. But there is little difference between these two i.e. SCOPE_IDENTITY returns value inserted only within the current scope whereas @@IDENTITY is not limited to any particular scope. Here are the syntaxes to get the last inserted identity value using these functions

SELECT @@IDENTITY

SELECT SCOPE_IDENTITY()

Now let’s have a look at the following example. Suppose I have two tables called Employee and EmployeeLog.

CREATE TABLE Employee

(

EmpId NUMERIC(18, 0) IDENTITY(1,1) NOT NULL,

EmpName VARCHAR(100) NOT NULL,

EmpSal FLOAT NOT NULL,

DateOfJoining DATETIME NOT NULL DEFAULT(GETDATE())

)

CREATE TABLE EmployeeLog

(

EmpId NUMERIC(18, 0) IDENTITY(1,1) NOT NULL,

EmpName VARCHAR(100) NOT NULL,

EmpSal FLOAT NOT NULL,

DateOfJoining DATETIME NOT NULL DEFAULT(GETDATE())

)

I have an insert trigger defined on the table Employee which inserts a new record in the EmployeeLog whenever a record insert in the Employee table. So Suppose I insert a new record in the Employee table using following statement:

INSERT INTO Employee (EmpName,EmpSal) VALUES ('Arefin','1')

The trigger will be fired automatically and insert a record in EmployeeLog. Here the scope of the insert statement and the trigger are different. In this situation if I retrieve last inserted identity value using @@IDENTITY, it will simply return the identity value from the EmployeeLog because it’s not limited to a particular scope. Now if I want to get the Employee table’s identity value then I need to use SCOPE_IDENTITY in this scenario.

So the moral is always use SCOPE_IDENTITY to return the identity value of a recently created record in a sql statement or stored procedure. It’s safe and ensures bug free code.