A SELECT statement can consist of the following basic clauses.

• SELECT
• INTO
• FROM
• JOIN
• WHERE
• GROUP BY
• HAVING
• UNION
• ORDER BY
• LIMIT

SELECT Syntax

The following syntax diagram outlines the syntax supported by the Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central adapter:

SELECT {
  [ TOP <numeric_literal> | DISTINCT ]
  { 
    * 
    | { 
        <expression> [ [ AS ] <column_reference> ] 
        | { <table_name> | <correlation_name> } .* 
      } [ , ... ] 
  }
  { 
    FROM <table_reference> [ [ AS ] <identifier> ] 
  } [ , ... ]
  [ 
    JOIN <table_reference> [ ON <search_condition> ] [ [ AS ] <identifier> ] 
  ] [ ... ] 
  [ WHERE <search_condition> ]
  [ GROUP BY <column_reference> [ , ... ]
  [ HAVING <search_condition> ]
  [ UNION  [ ALL ] <select_statement> ]
  [ 
    ORDER BY 
    <column_reference> [ ASC | DESC ] [ NULLS FIRST | NULLS LAST ]
  ]
  [
    LIMIT <expression>
    [ 
      { OFFSET | , }
      <expression> 
    ]
  ] 
} | SCOPE_IDENTITY() 

  <expression> ::=
    | <column_reference>
    | @ <parameter> 
    | ?
    | COUNT( * | { [ DISTINCT ] <expression> } )
    | { AVG | MAX | MIN | SUM | COUNT } ( <expression> ) 
    | NULLIF ( <expression> , <expression> ) 
    | COALESCE ( <expression> , ... ) 
    | CASE <expression>
        WHEN { <expression> | <search_condition> } THEN { <expression> | NULL } [ ... ]
    [ ELSE { <expression> | NULL } ]
      END 
    | <literal>
    | <sql_function> 

  <search_condition> ::= 
    {
      <expression> { = | != | <> | > | < | >= | <= | LIKE | IS NOT NULL | IS NULL | AND | OR } [ <expression> ]
    } [ { AND | OR } ... ]

Examples

1. Return all columns:
   

   SELECT * FROM Accounts

2. Rename a column:
   

   SELECT "Name" AS MY_Name FROM Accounts

3. Cast a column's data as a different data type:
   

   SELECT CAST(AnnualRevenue AS VARCHAR) AS Str_AnnualRevenue FROM Accounts

4. Search data:
   

   SELECT * FROM Accounts WHERE Name <> 'MyAccount'

5. The Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central APIs support the following operators in the WHERE clause: =, !=, <>, >, <, >=, <=, LIKE, IS NOT NULL, IS NULL, AND, OR.
   

   SELECT * FROM Accounts WHERE Name <> 'MyAccount';

6. Return the number of items matching the query criteria:
   

   SELECT COUNT(*) AS MyCount FROM Accounts 

7. Return the number of unique items matching the query criteria:
   

   SELECT COUNT(DISTINCT Name) FROM Accounts 

8. Return the unique items matching the query criteria:
   

   SELECT DISTINCT Name FROM Accounts 

9. Sort a result set in ascending order:
   

   SELECT accountid, Name FROM Accounts  ORDER BY Name ASC

Aggregate Functions

For SELECT examples using aggregate functions, see Aggregate Functions.

JOIN Queries

See JOIN Queries for SELECT query examples using JOINs.

Date Literal Functions

Date Literal Functions contains SELECT examples with date literal functions.

Window Functions

See Window Functions for SELECT examples containing window functions.

Table-Valued Functions

See Table-Valued Functions for SELECT examples with table-valued functions.