Classroom Training

Fast track SQL course (3 days)

Available as classroom training course only

3 days

We recognise that not everyone can devote two days to attend our SQL Introduction course and another two days to sit on our two-day Advanced SQL course, so we've combined the contents together into this single, intensive three-day SQL course. The course will cover everything from creating basic SELECT statements all the way through to writing stored procedures and using CTEs, temporary tables and table variables.

Our fast-track courses are only available as tailored training, either at your premises or at either our London or Manchester venues (here's why).

Course Contents - PDF

Course Contents

This fast-track course combines topics from the following other Wise Owl courses:

From our INTRODUCTION TO SQL course

Using SQL Server

SQL Server Management Studio
Controlling windows
Using Object Explorer

Creating databases - overview

Designing databases
Primary keys

Working with tables

Creating tables
Allowing nulls or not
Identity fields
Creating relationships

Simple Queries

Creating queries
Comments
Indentation and case

Setting criteria using WHERE

Wildcards (% and _)
Setting criteria for dates
Coping with nulls

Calculations

Calculated columns
Using aliases
String functions and concatenation

Calculations using dates

GetDate
Converting dates
Useful date functions

Basic joins

Inner joins
Table aliases
Left and right outer joins

Aggregation and grouping

SUM, AVG, MIN, MAX
Various ways to count
Grouping by fields
Using HAVING to filter results

Views

The view designer
Limitations of the designer
Scripting views

Subqueries

The concept of a subquery
Syntax of subqueries
Using subqueries in a query

Derived tables and CTEs

Using derived tables
Common Table Expressions (CTEs)
Multiple CTEs in a single query

From our ADVANCED SQL course

Stored procedures

Creating stored procedures
Executing stored procedures
System stored procedures

Variables

Declaring variables
SET versus SELECT
Tricks with variables
So-called global variables

Parameters and return values

Passing parameters
Default values / WHERE clauses
Output parameters
Using RETURN

Covered if time allows If time

Scalar functions

What they are
Writing user-defined functions
Worked examples
Pros and cons of scalar functions

Testing conditions

IF / ELSE statement
Using CASE where possible

Looping

Syntax of WHILE
Breaking out of a loop

Covered if time allows If time

Error-handling

Using TRY / CATCH
System error functions
Custom error messages

Deleting using SQL

Ways to drop tables
DELETE versus TRUNCATE

Updating data in SQL

The UPDATE statement
Updating using joins

Inserting data

Making tables (SELECT INTO)
Appending data (INSERT INTO)
Inserting individual rows

Creating tables

Creating tables in SQL
Primary keys and indexes
Adding relationships

Covered if time allows If time

Transactions

Beginning a transaction
Committing / rolling back

Temporary tables and table variables

Scope (local versus global)
Using temporary tables
Creating table variables
Pros and cons of each approach

Covered if time allows If time

Table-valued functions

In-line table-valued functions
Mult-statement table-valued functions

Covered if time allows If time

Dynamic SQL

Building up dynamic SQL
Executing dynamic SQL
Disadvantages of dynamic SQL

Covered if time allows If time

Pivots

Assembling data for pivoting
Using PIVOT
Dynamic column headers

Covered if time allows If time

Triggers

Insert, update and delete triggers
Using generated tables (eg INSERTED)
Using INSTEAD OF

There are no special pre-requisites for you to satisfy to attend this course, other than to have a good level of IT literacy. If you don't find it easy to create Excel formulae you should avoid this course!

Why Choose Us?

No more than 5 people per class
Proper restaurant lunch included
512 references viewable online
Free USB stick containing course files
Genuine Wise Owl trainers only
Unbelievably good courseware

View full list of benefits

Sample customer feedback

Our thanks to everyone who agreed to share their thoughts (note that some of these reviews may be for our online courses).

"I really enjoyed the course and learnt a lot. Thanks."

Kathryn Fouracre (Home Retail Group PLC)

"Very knowledgeable trainer, very well prepared, great training session, informal and friendly atmosphere."

Stephen Catlow (LifeArc)

"Great course! Everything is explained really well, makes you know why you are doing what you are doing."

Mitalee Pisavadia (Public Health England)

"Fantastic course. Learnt some great shortcuts & more importantly a fantastic teacher with great knowledge."

Osman Chughtai (FIS (WorldPay))

"Fantastic course for beginners, delivered excellently by the trainer. The content of the course was perfect, covering everything needed plus giving more information in the course booklet. The exercises were well planned and very useful. Will recommend to everyone in the NHS!"

Craig Benson (NHS Digital)

There are lots more where these came from (or just refresh this page to change the quotes shown).