What Is Decimal Data Type in SQL Server?

What Is Decimal Data Type in SQL Server?

In SQL Server, the decimal data type is used to store numbers with decimal places. It is commonly used when precision and scale are important, such as in financial calculations or measurements.

The decimal data type allows you to specify the total number of digits and the number of digits to the right of the decimal point.

Precision and Scale

When using the decimal data type in SQL Server, you need to define its precision and scale. Precision refers to the total number of digits that can be stored, including both those before and after the decimal point.

Scale determines the number of digits that can be stored after the decimal point.

For example, if you define a decimal column with a precision of 10 and a scale of 2, it means that you can store numbers from -9999999.99 to 9999999.99.

Syntax

To use the decimal data type in SQL Server, you need to specify its precision and scale within parentheses after the keyword “decimal”. The syntax is as follows:

column_name DECIMAL(precision, scale)

For instance, if you want to create a table called “Products” with a column named “Price” that stores prices up to two decimal places, you would use the following syntax:

CREATE TABLE Products (
    Price DECIMAL(10, 2)
);

Example Usage:

Let’s consider an example where we have a table named “Orders” with a column named “TotalAmount” of the decimal data type. We want to calculate the average total amount of all orders.

SELECT AVG(TotalAmount) AS AverageTotalAmount
FROM Orders;

Conclusion

The decimal data type in SQL Server is a valuable tool for storing and manipulating precise numeric values that require decimal places. By specifying the precision and scale, you can ensure accurate calculations in various scenarios, especially those involving financial data or measurements.