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title: "Configure the two digit year cutoff Server Configuration Option | Microsoft Docs"
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# Configure the two digit year cutoff Server Configuration Option
[!INCLUDE[tsql-appliesto-ss2008-xxxx-xxxx-xxx_md](../../includes/tsql-appliesto-ss2008-xxxx-xxxx-xxx-md.md)]

  This topic describes how to configure the **two digit year cutoff** server configuration option in [!INCLUDE[ssCurrent](../../includes/sscurrent-md.md)] by using [!INCLUDE[ssManStudioFull](../../includes/ssmanstudiofull-md.md)] or [!INCLUDE[tsql](../../includes/tsql-md.md)]. The **two digit year cutoff** option specifies an integer from 1753 to 9999 that represents the cutoff year for interpreting two-digit years as four-digit years. The default time span for [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] is 1950-2049, which represents a cutoff year of 2049. This means that [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] interprets a two-digit year of 49 as 2049, a two-digit year of 50 as 1950, and a two-digit year of 99 as 1999. To maintain backward compatibility, leave the setting at the default value.  
  
 **In This Topic**  
  
-   **Before you begin:**  
  
     [Recommendations](#Recommendations)  
  
     [Security](#Security)  
  
-   **To configure the two digit year cutoff option, using:**  
  
     [SQL Server Management Studio](#SSMSProcedure)  
  
     [Transact-SQL](#TsqlProcedure)  
  
-   **Follow Up:**  [After you configure the two digit year cutoff option](#FollowUp)  
  
##  <a name="BeforeYouBegin"></a> Before You Begin  
  
###  <a name="Recommendations"></a> Recommendations  
  
-   This option is an advanced option and should be changed only by an experienced database administrator or certified [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] technician.  
  
-   OLE Automation objects use 2030 as the two-digit cutoff year. You can use the **two digit year cutoff** option to provide consistency in date values between [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] and client applications. However, to avoid ambiguity with dates, use four-digit years in your data.  
  
###  <a name="Security"></a> Security  
  
####  <a name="Permissions"></a> Permissions  
 Execute permissions on **sp_configure** with no parameters or with only the first parameter are granted to all users by default. To execute **sp_configure** with both parameters to change a configuration option or to run the RECONFIGURE statement, a user must be granted the ALTER SETTINGS server-level permission. The ALTER SETTINGS permission is implicitly held by the **sysadmin** and **serveradmin** fixed server roles.  
  
##  <a name="SSMSProcedure"></a> Using SQL Server Management Studio  
  
#### To configure the two digit year cutoff option  
  
1.  In Object Explorer, right-click a server and select **Properties**.  
  
2.  Click the **Misc server settings** node.  
  
3.  Under **Two digit year support**, in the **When a two digit year is entered**, **interpret it as a year between** box, type or select a value that is the ending year of the time span.  
  
##  <a name="TsqlProcedure"></a> Using Transact-SQL  
  
#### To configure the two digit year cutoff option  
  
1.  Connect to the [!INCLUDE[ssDE](../../includes/ssde-md.md)].  
  
2.  From the Standard bar, click **New Query**.  
  
3.  Copy and paste the following example into the query window and click **Execute**. This example shows how to use [sp_configure](../../relational-databases/system-stored-procedures/sp-configure-transact-sql.md) to set the value of the `two digit year cutoff` option to `2030`.  
  
```tsql  
USE AdventureWorks2012 ;  
GO  
EXEC sp_configure 'show advanced options', 1;  
GO  
RECONFIGURE ;  
GO  
EXEC sp_configure 'two digit year cutoff', 2030 ;  
GO  
RECONFIGURE;  
GO  
  
```  
  
 For more information, see [Server Configuration Options &#40;SQL Server&#41;](../../database-engine/configure-windows/server-configuration-options-sql-server.md).  
  
##  <a name="FollowUp"></a> Follow Up: After you configure the two digit year cutoff option  
 The setting takes effect immediately without restarting the server.  
  
## See Also  
 [Server Configuration Options &#40;SQL Server&#41;](../../database-engine/configure-windows/server-configuration-options-sql-server.md)   
 [sp_configure &#40;Transact-SQL&#41;](../../relational-databases/system-stored-procedures/sp-configure-transact-sql.md)   
 [RECONFIGURE &#40;Transact-SQL&#41;](../../t-sql/language-elements/reconfigure-transact-sql.md)