---
title: "Create an Operator | Microsoft Docs"
ms.custom: ""
ms.date: "03/06/2017"
ms.prod: "sql-server-2014"
ms.reviewer: ""
ms.technology: ssms
ms.topic: conceptual
helpviewer_keywords: 
  - "SQL Server Agent jobs, operators"
  - "jobs [SQL Server Agent], notification options"
  - "operators (users) [Database Engine], creating with Management Studio"
  - "SQL Server Agent jobs, notification options"
  - "jobs [SQL Server Agent], operators"
  - "notifications [SQL Server], job status"
ms.assetid: 1359d790-5905-4927-a208-e7155e7768a2
author: stevestein
ms.author: sstein
manager: craigg
---
# Create an Operator
  This topic describes how to configure a user to receive notifications about [!INCLUDE[msCoName](../../includes/msconame-md.md)] [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] Agent jobs in [!INCLUDE[ssCurrent](../../includes/sscurrent-md.md)] 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 operator, using:**  
  
     [SQL Server Management Studio](#SSMSProcedure)  
  
     [Transact-SQL](#TsqlProcedure)  
  
##  <a name="BeforeYouBegin"></a> Before You Begin  
  
###  <a name="Restrictions"></a> Limitations and Restrictions  
  
-   The Pager and **net send** options will be removed from [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] Agent in a future version of [!INCLUDE[msCoName](../../includes/msconame-md.md)][!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)]. Avoid using these features in new development work, and plan to modify applications that currently use these features.  
  
-   Note that SQL Server Agent must be configured to use Database Mail to send e-mail and pager notifications to operators. For more information, see [Assign Alerts to an Operator](assign-alerts-to-an-operator.md).  
  
-   [!INCLUDE[ssManStudioFull](../../includes/ssmanstudiofull-md.md)] provides an easy, graphical way to manage jobs, and is the recommended way to create and manage the job infrastructure.  
  
###  <a name="Security"></a> Security  
  
####  <a name="Permissions"></a> Permissions  
 Only members of the **sysadmin** fixed server role can create operators.  
  
##  <a name="SSMSProcedure"></a> Using SQL Server Management Studio  
  
#### To create an operator  
  
1.  In **Object Explorer**, click the plus sign to expand the server where you want to create a SQL Server Agent operator.  
  
2.  Click the plus sign to expand **SQL Server Agent**.  
  
3.  Right-click the **Operators** folder and select **New Operator**.  
  
     The following options are available on the **General** page of the **New Operator** dialog box:  
  
     **Name**  
     Change the name of the operator.  
  
     **Enabled**  
     Enable the operator. When not enabled, no notifications are sent to the operator.  
  
     **E-mail name**  
     Specifies the e-mail address for the operator.  
  
     **Net send address**  
     Specify the address to use for **net send**.  
  
     **Pager e-mail name**  
     Specifies the e-mail address to use for the operator's pager.  
  
     **Pager on duty schedule**  
     Sets the times at which the pager is active.  
  
     **Monday - Sunday**  
     Select the days that the pager is active.  
  
     **Workday begin**  
     Select the time of day after which [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] Agent sends messages to the pager.  
  
     **Workday end**  
     Select the time of day after which [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] Agent no longer sends messages to the pager.  
  
     The following options are available on the **Notifications** page of the **New Operator** dialog box:  
  
     **Alerts**  
     View the alerts in the instance.  
  
     **Jobs**  
     View the jobs in the instance.  
  
     **Alert list**  
     Lists the alerts in the instance.  
  
     **Job list**  
     Lists the jobs in the instance.  
  
     **E-mail**  
     Notify this operator using e-mail.  
  
     **Pager**  
     Notify this operator by sending e-mail to the pager address.  
  
     **Net send**  
     Notify this operator using **net send**.  
  
4.  When finished creating the new operator, click **OK**.  
  
##  <a name="TsqlProcedure"></a> Using Transact-SQL  
  
#### To create an operator  
  
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**.  
  
    ```  
    -- sets up the operator information for user 'danwi.' The operator is enabled.   
    -- SQL Server Agent sends notifications by pager from Monday through Friday from 8 A.M. to 5 P.M.  
    USE msdb ;  
    GO  
  
    EXEC dbo.sp_add_operator  
        @name = N'Dan Wilson',  
        @enabled = 1,  
        @email_address = N'danwi',  
        @pager_address = N'5551290AW@pager.Adventure-Works.com',  
        @weekday_pager_start_time = 080000,  
        @weekday_pager_end_time = 170000,  
        @pager_days = 62 ;  
    GO  
    ```  
  
 For more information, see [sp_add_operator &#40;Transact-SQL&#41;](/sql/relational-databases/system-stored-procedures/sp-add-operator-transact-sql).