begin-end-transact-sql.md

title	BEGIN...END (Transact-SQL)
description	BEGIN...END (Transact-SQL)
author	rwestMSFT
ms.author	randolphwest
ms.reviewer
ms.date	03/15/2017
ms.prod	sql
ms.prod_service	database-engine, sql-database, synapse-analytics, pdw
ms.technology	t-sql
ms.topic	reference
ms.custom
f1_keywords	BEGIN BEGIN_TSQL
helpviewer_keywords	enclosing statements [SQL Server] BEGIN statement control-of-flow language [SQL Server], BEGIN...END statement BEGIN...END keyword grouping statements, BEGIN...END statement executing Transact-SQL statements together [SQL Server] statements [SQL Server], grouping
dev_langs	TSQL
monikerRange	>= aps-pdw-2016 || = azuresqldb-current || = azure-sqldw-latest || >= sql-server-2016 || >= sql-server-linux-2017 || = azuresqldb-mi-current

BEGIN...END (Transact-SQL)

[!INCLUDE sql-asdb-asdbmi-asa-pdw]

Encloses a series of [!INCLUDEtsql] statements so that a group of [!INCLUDEtsql] statements can be executed. BEGIN and END are control-of-flow language keywords.

Transact-SQL Syntax Conventions

Syntax

BEGIN  
    { sql_statement | statement_block }   
END  

[!INCLUDEsql-server-tsql-previous-offline-documentation]

Arguments

{ sql_statement | statement_block }
Is any valid [!INCLUDEtsql] statement or statement grouping as defined by using a statement block.

Remarks

BEGIN...END blocks can be nested.

Although all [!INCLUDEtsql] statements are valid within a BEGIN...END block, certain [!INCLUDEtsql] statements should not be grouped together within the same batch, or statement block.

Examples

In the following example, BEGIN and END define a series of [!INCLUDEtsql] statements that execute together. If the BEGIN...END block were not included, both ROLLBACK TRANSACTION statements would execute and both PRINT messages would be returned.

USE AdventureWorks2012
GO  
BEGIN TRANSACTION
GO  
IF @@TRANCOUNT = 0  
BEGIN  
    SELECT FirstName, MiddleName   
    FROM Person.Person WHERE LastName = 'Adams';
    ROLLBACK TRANSACTION;
    PRINT N'Rolling back the transaction two times would cause an error.';
END;
ROLLBACK TRANSACTION;
PRINT N'Rolled back the transaction.';
GO  
/*  
Rolled back the transaction.  
*/  

Examples: [!INCLUDEssSDWfull] and [!INCLUDEssPDW]

In the following example, BEGIN and END define a series of [!INCLUDEDWsql] statements that run together. If the BEGIN...END block are not included, the following example will be in a continuous loop.

-- Uses AdventureWorks  

DECLARE @Iteration Integer = 0;
WHILE @Iteration <10  
BEGIN  
    SELECT FirstName, MiddleName   
    FROM dbo.DimCustomer WHERE LastName = 'Adams';
    SET @Iteration += 1  ;
END;

See Also

ALTER TRIGGER (Transact-SQL)
Control-of-Flow Language (Transact-SQL)
CREATE TRIGGER (Transact-SQL)
END (BEGIN...END) (Transact-SQL)