Online Training

Introduction to SQL

Live online training course - classroom version also available

£595 + VAT (where applicable)

Two days (09:30 to 16:30 UK time each day)

If your organisation has a database built in SQL Server (whether Agresso/Unit4, Dynamics, LiquidLogic, Sage or any proprietary system) this course will show you how to get information out of it! You'll learn how to:

Write queries in T-SQL or Transact SQL (the dialect of SQL used in SQL Server)
Apply criteria to pick out only records of interest
Create expressions using keywords like CASE WHEN and CAST
Link tables together using inner and outer joins
Aggregate data using the GROUP BY clause to show statistics

There's no need to install SQL Server on your computer, as you'll be using our Wise Owl laptops remotely. And you don't need any base knowledge to join this course (although you will need to understand your corporate database to get information out of it - we can't teach you that bit!).

Course schedule

Here are our next few online Introduction to SQL course dates:

Dates	Times	Price (excl. VAT)
15-16 Feb	09:30-16:30	£595	Book
25-26 Feb	09:30-16:30	£595	Book
11-12 Mar	09:30-16:30	£595	Book
Show full list of dates

Got a handful of like-minded people in your organisation? You could consider creating your own customised online course to run on a date convenient to you).

Course Contents

The contents of this course are as follows:

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

Query Designer

Building queries
Editing queries in the designer

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

Covered if time allows If time

Views

The view designer
Limitations of the designer
Scripting views

Covered if time allows If time

Subqueries

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

Covered if time allows If time

Derived tables and CTEs

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

You can download a PDF file giving the course contents.

Benefits of our online training

Here are some reasons to choose Wise Owl online courses:

Maximum of 5 people per class
Excellent colour courseware manual posted to you in advance
Pre-course set-up included in the days before the course
No need to install any software on your computer
All courses given by one of our 6 Wise Owl trainers

What other people have said

Many thanks to those listed below for kindly agreeing to let us use their names. All of the reviews are from the last 3 calendar years (although some may be for classroom courses):

"The (small) group size really helped the learning experience."

Jack Burman (NHS Pension Scheme)

"Great that we have course manuals. Content great, great pace. Excellent trainer willing to customise learning. Recommended by two colleagues. Will recommend."

Aiden Lonergan (The Christie NHS Foundation Trust)

"Very useful content overall. Has given me more confidence."

Jane Sims (NHS Herts Valleys CCG)

"Good instructor, good content, very hands on training. Small class sizes are good for learning."

Mirat Santilale (Virgin Media)

"The trainer was really thorough and explained the various topics well. He was also very friendly and approachable which made it very easy to ask questions. I look forward to completing future Wise Owl courses."

Natalie Sheard (Alzheimers Research UK)

Refresh the page to see a different set of reviews!

How our live online training courses work

We've published a full summary of what it's like to attend a Wise Owl course online - here are the main things you need to know.

What you'll need

You'll need three things for the course:

A computer (obviously) running Windows.
A good internet connection.
A microphone and (ideally) webcam.

In addition you'll find the course very difficult without an additional monitor (so that you can participate in the course on one screen, and use the software you're learning on the other).

What will happen when you book a place

Within a few hours of your booking a place on one of our online courses, we'll be in touch to get you set up correctly. This usually takes about half an hour, and can be done at any mutually convenient date/time.

A few days before your course begins you'll receive a parcel in the post (free for UK bookings) containing:

A full colour courseware manual;
An exercise booklet to go with the course; and
A USB stick containing the files for the course, should you need a back-up.

Your parcel will even include a Wise Owl Sheaffer biro (they're good; trust us) and pad.

What you won't need

You won't need to install any software at all on your computer. This is because:

you'll use Windows Remote Desktop to connect to our computers, and these will have all of the necessary files and software installed; and
we use Teams for our online training, which you can run through most modern browsers.

On and after the course

On the day of the course itself you will be able to join the course up to half an hour before it begins. This will give you time to:

familiarise yourself with the set-up;
meet your trainer; and
get to know the other delegates!

After the course finishes you'll receive an electronic certificate proving your attendance (we will gladly send a paper copy on request also).

You can see full details of exactly how our online courses work here.