---
title: "Create an Alert Using an Error Number | Microsoft Docs"
ms.custom: ""
ms.date: "03/06/2017"
ms.prod: "sql-server-2014"
ms.reviewer: ""
ms.technology: ssms
ms.topic: conceptual
helpviewer_keywords: 
  - "alerts [SQL Server], creating"
  - "SQL Server Agent, alerts"
  - "alerts [SQL Server], error numbers"
ms.assetid: 03dd7fac-5073-4f86-babd-37e45a86023c
author: stevestein
ms.author: sstein
manager: craigg
---
# Create an Alert Using an Error Number
  This topic describes how to create a [!INCLUDE[msCoName](../../includes/msconame-md.md)] [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] Agent alert occurs in [!INCLUDE[ssCurrent](../../includes/sscurrent-md.md)] that will be raised when an error of a specific number occurs by using [!INCLUDE[ssManStudioFull](../../includes/ssmanstudiofull-md.md)] or [!INCLUDE[tsql](../../includes/tsql-md.md)].  
  
 **In This Topic**  
  
-   **Before you begin:**  
  
     [Limitations and Restrictions](#Restrictions)  
  
     [Security](#Security)  
  
-   **To create an alert using an error number, using:**  
  
     [SQL Server Management Studio](#SSMSProcedure)  
  
     [Transact-SQL](#TsqlProcedure)  
  
##  <a name="BeforeYouBegin"></a> Before You Begin  
  
###  <a name="Restrictions"></a> Limitations and Restrictions  
  
-   [!INCLUDE[ssManStudioFull](../../includes/ssmanstudiofull-md.md)] provides an easy, graphical way to manage the entire alerting system and is the recommended way to configure an alert infrastructure.  
  
-   Events generated with **xp_logevent** occur in the master database. Therefore, **xp_logevent** does not trigger an alert unless the **@database_name** for the alert is **'master'** or NULL.  
  
###  <a name="Security"></a> Security  
  
####  <a name="Permissions"></a> Permissions  
 By default, only members of the **sysadmin** fixed server role can execute **sp_add_alert**.  
  
##  <a name="SSMSProcedure"></a> Using SQL Server Management Studio  
  
#### To create an alert using an error number  
  
1.  In **Object Explorer,** click the plus sign to expand the server where you want to create an alert using an error number.  
  
2.  Click the plus sign to expand **SQL Server Agent**.  
  
3.  Right-click **Alerts** and select **New Alert**.  
  
4.  In the **New Alert** dialog box, in the **Name** box, enter a name for this alert.  
  
5.  Check the **Enable** check box to enable the alert to run. By default, **Enable** is checked.  
  
6.  In the **Type** list, select **SQL Server event alert**.  
  
7.  Under **Event alert definition**, in the **Database name** list, select a database to restrict the alert to a specific database.  
  
8.  Under **Alerts will be raised based on**, click **Error number**, and then type a valid error number for the alert. Alternately, click **Severity** and then select the specific severity that will raise the alert.  
  
9. Check the box corresponding to **Raise alert when message contains** check box to restrict the alert to a particular character sequence, and then enter a keyword or character string for the **Message text**. The maximum number of characters is 100.  
  
10. Click **OK**.  
  
##  <a name="TsqlProcedure"></a> Using Transact-SQL  
  
#### To create an alert using an error number  
  
1.  In **Object Explorer**, connect to an instance of [!INCLUDE[ssDE](../../includes/ssde-md.md)].  
  
2.  On the Standard bar, click **New Query**.  
  
3.  Copy and paste the following example into the query window and click **Execute**.  
  
    ```  
    -- adds an alert (Test Alert) that runs the Back up the AdventureWorks2012 Database job when fired   
    -- assumes that the message 55001 and the Back up the AdventureWorks2012 Database job already exist.  
    USE msdb ;  
    GO  
  
    EXEC dbo.sp_add_alert  
        @name = N'Test Alert',  
        @message_id = 55001,   
       @severity = 0,   
       @notification_message = N'Error 55001 has occurred. The database will be backed up...',   
       @job_name = N'Back up the AdventureWorks2012 Database' ;  
    GO  
    ```  
  
 For more information, see [sp_add_alert &#40;Transact-SQL&#41;](/sql/relational-databases/system-stored-procedures/sp-add-alert-transact-sql).