Classroom Training

Fast track SQL course (3 days)

Classroom training course - online version also available

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. Please only consider booking onto this fast-track SQL course if people consider you to be a reasonably quick learner of new software.

Course details

Possible locations:London, Manchester, Online
Next classroom course:No classroom dates
Time:09:30-16:30

SCHEDULED DATES 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
482 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).

"Our trainer was great, really knowledgeable and patient; couldn't fault him. Really enjoyed the course overall. Thanks. Wise Owl comes recommended through the company I work for, I'll certainly recommend you now."

Phil Hunter (FIS Global (WorldPay))

"Our trainer was awesome. He very clearly knows his subject inside out, and this was evident in his delivery. He wasn't phased by anything and could look at my colleague's code and know exactly what was going on. He was especially good at helping us with our own code, and giving us a gentle nudge in the right direction. Overall, I would rate this course 11/10. It delivered exactly what was promised and more. I would have struggled to get budget for both Basic and Advanced, so this course was spot on the money (literally)."

Josh Richards (Greater Manchester Fire & Rescue Service)

"The 3-day Fast-track SQL course was my second course with Wise Owl and I really enjoyed the course as well as the teaching style. The content and pace was good and our trainer answered all questions asked in detail, showing his knowledge and expertise in the subject. Would recommend this course to anyone."

Shaila Hunt (BUPA)

"An excellent course delivered at just the right pace and taking account of the differing ability levels of all candidates. An exceptional trainer with a fantastic delivery style. I will be recommending to others to use Wise Owl. Chose Wise Owl as a result of previous positive experiences and would definitely chose you again for any future training requirements."

Paul Horwood (BUPA)

"Our trainer kept checking in on everyone at breaks and beginnings to make sure no one had gotten lost along the way. He was very open to questions and answered them clearly. It was good to get us thinking when asking us what we thought might happen if he ran a code, and then teaching us that a statement only affects the next statement. Colleagues recommended the training to me as they found it a very thorough exploration of SQL."

Simon Wickham (Advancing Quality Alliance AQuA)

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