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title: "VARP (Transact-SQL) | Microsoft Docs"
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# VARP (Transact-SQL)
[!INCLUDE[tsql-appliesto-ss2008-all_md](../../includes/tsql-appliesto-ss2008-all-md.md)]

  Returns the statistical variance for the population for all values in the specified expression.  
  
 ![Topic link icon](../../database-engine/configure-windows/media/topic-link.gif "Topic link icon") [Transact-SQL Syntax Conventions](../../t-sql/language-elements/transact-sql-syntax-conventions-transact-sql.md)  
  
## Syntax  
  
```  
-- Syntax for SQL Server and Azure SQL Database  
  
VARP ( [ ALL | DISTINCT ] expression )  
   OVER ( [ partition_by_clause ] order_by_clause )  nh  
```  
  
```  
-- Syntax for Azure SQL Data Warehouse and Parallel Data Warehouse  
  
-- Aggregate Function Syntax   
VARP ( [ ALL | DISTINCT ] expression )  
  
-- Analytic Function Syntax  
VARP (expression) OVER ( [ partition_by_clause ] order_by_clause)  
```  
  
## Arguments  
 **ALL**  
 Applies the function to all values. ALL is the default.  
  
 DISTINCT  
 Specifies that each unique value is considered.  
  
 *expression*  
 Is an [expression](../../t-sql/language-elements/expressions-transact-sql.md) of the exact numeric or approximate numeric data type category, except for the **bit** data type. Aggregate functions and subqueries are not permitted.  
  
 OVER **(** [ *partition_by_clause* ] *order_by_clause***)**  
 *partition_by_clause* divides the result set produced by the FROM clause into partitions to which the function is applied. If not specified, the function treats all rows of the query result set as a single group. *order_by_clause* determines the logical order in which the operation is performed. *order_by_clause* is required. For more information, see [OVER Clause (Transact-SQL)](../../t-sql/queries/select-over-clause-transact-sql.md).  
  
## Return Types  
 **float**  
  
## Remarks  
 If VARP is used on all items in a SELECT statement, each value in the result set is included in the calculation. VARP can be used with numeric columns only. Null values are ignored.  
  
 VARP is a deterministic function when used without the OVER and ORDER BY clauses. It is nondeterministic when specified with the OVER and ORDER BY clauses. For more information, see [Deterministic and Nondeterministic Functions](../../relational-databases/user-defined-functions/deterministic-and-nondeterministic-functions.md).  
  
## Examples  
  
### A: Using VARP  
 The following example returns the variance for the population for all bonus values in the `SalesPerson` table in the [!INCLUDE[ssSampleDBnormal](../../includes/sssampledbnormal-md.md)] database.  
  
```  
SELECT VARP(Bonus)  
FROM Sales.SalesPerson;  
GO  
```  
  
## Examples: [!INCLUDE[ssSDWfull](../../includes/sssdwfull-md.md)] and [!INCLUDE[ssPDW](../../includes/sspdw-md.md)]  
  
### B: Using VARP  
 The following example returns the `VARP`of the sales quota values in the table `dbo.FactSalesQuota`. The first column contains the variance of all distinct values and the second column contains the variance of all values including any duplicates values.  
  
```  
-- Uses AdventureWorks  
  
SELECT VARP(DISTINCT SalesAmountQuota)AS Distinct_Values, VARP(SalesAmountQuota) AS All_Values  
FROM dbo.FactSalesQuota;  
```  
  
 [!INCLUDE[ssResult](../../includes/ssresult-md.md)]  
  
 `Distinct_Values   All_Values`  
  
 `----------------  ----------------`  
  
 `158146830494.18   157788848582.94`  
  
### C. Using VARP with OVER  
 The following example returns the `VARP` of the sales quota values for each quarter in a calendar year. Notice that the ORDER BY in the OVER clause orders the statistical variance and the ORDER BY of the SELECT statement orders the result set.  
  
```  
-- Uses AdventureWorks  
  
SELECT CalendarYear AS Year, CalendarQuarter AS Quarter, SalesAmountQuota AS SalesQuota,  
       VARP(SalesAmountQuota) OVER (ORDER BY CalendarYear, CalendarQuarter) AS Variance  
FROM dbo.FactSalesQuota  
WHERE EmployeeKey = 272 AND CalendarYear = 2002  
ORDER BY CalendarQuarter;  
```  
  
 [!INCLUDE[ssResult](../../includes/ssresult-md.md)]  
  
 `Year  Quarter  SalesQuota              Variance`  
  
 `----  -------  ----------------------  -------------------`  
  
 `2002  1         91000.0000             0.00`  
  
 `2002  2        140000.0000             600250000.00`  
  
 `2002  3         70000.0000             860222222.22`  
  
 `2002  4        154000.0000             1185187500.00`  
  
## See Also  
 [Aggregate Functions (Transact-SQL)](../../t-sql/functions/aggregate-functions-transact-sql.md)   
 [OVER Clause (Transact-SQL)](../../t-sql/queries/select-over-clause-transact-sql.md)