Sql Server Programming :: Select with variable containing a Column name


	Select with variable containing a Column name Hi , I would like to use a column name in a variable as follows: Declare @amount numeric(25,0) Declare @ColumnName varchar(20) Set @ColumnName= 'Amount1' SELECT @amount = @ColumnName FROM Sale WHERE year=1998 ---error: convertion from varchar to numeric SELECT @amount = Amount1 FROM Sale WHERE year=1998 --- is running fine How can I fix this syntax problem? Any advice will be very much appreciated. Truc, You are trying to write dynamic-SQL. Which means that you must build a complete string of the statement then execute it. Indirection within T-SQL statements is invalid syntax. A popular reference for Dynamic SQL is: http://www.sommarskog.se/dynamic_sql.html RLF "Truc H." <T@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:5411C010-E575-4E22-B80A-9C40A25A5199@microsoft.com... - Hide quoted text - > Hi , > I would like to use a column name in a variable as follows: > Declare @amount numeric(25,0) > Declare @ColumnName varchar(20) > Set @ColumnName= 'Amount1' > SELECT @amount = @ColumnName FROM Sale WHERE year=1998 > ---error: convertion from varchar to numeric > SELECT @amount = Amount1 FROM Sale WHERE year=1998 > --- is running fine > How can I fix this syntax problem? > Any advice will be very much appreciated.