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If you're wondering whether to upgrade to Integration Services 2012, or just want to know what differences there are between SSIS 2008 R2 and 2012, this blog should help you!
- Differences between Integration Services 2008 R2 and 2012
- Difference 1 - SSIS 2012 Looks Different!
- Difference 2 - How Variables are Treated in SSIS 2012
- Difference 3 - Choosing Tasks from the SSIS Toolbox
- Difference 4 - Shared Connections at Project Level
- Difference 5 - Expression Tasks in 2012 (this blog)
- Difference 6 - Undoing and Redoing Commands
- Difference 7 - Easier to use Data Viewers
- Difference 8 - Deploying Packages in 2012
- Difference 9 - Parameters and Environments
- Differences 10 - Other Miscellaneous Changes
Posted by Andy Brown on 27 November 2014
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Difference 5 - Expression Tasks in 2012
Have a look again at our two functionally identical packages, and you'll notice a difference:
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The 2008 R2 script task ... | ... is replaced by an expression task |
An expression task allows us to calculate an expression, usually to store this value in a variable.
The advantage of an expression task is that you can calculate variables without needing to create cumbersome script tasks.
Here's what the 2012 expression task looks like (in part):

The expression task allows us to set one variable equal to the sum of two other ones!
Time now to look at what should perhaps have been number 1 on my list: undoing and redoing commands in SSIS.
- Differences between Integration Services 2008 R2 and 2012
- Difference 1 - SSIS 2012 Looks Different!
- Difference 2 - How Variables are Treated in SSIS 2012
- Difference 3 - Choosing Tasks from the SSIS Toolbox
- Difference 4 - Shared Connections at Project Level
- Difference 5 - Expression Tasks in 2012 (this blog)
- Difference 6 - Undoing and Redoing Commands
- Difference 7 - Easier to use Data Viewers
- Difference 8 - Deploying Packages in 2012
- Difference 9 - Parameters and Environments
- Differences 10 - Other Miscellaneous Changes