---
title: "Create an Alert Using an Error Number"
ms.custom: seo-lt-2019
ms.date: 01/19/2017
ms.prod: sql
ms.prod_service: sql-tools
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: markingmyname
ms.author: maghan
ms.manager: jroth
ms.reviewer: ""
monikerRange: "= azuresqldb-mi-current || >= sql-server-2016 || = sqlallproducts-allversions"
---
# Create an Alert Using an Error Number
[!INCLUDE[appliesto-ss-asdbmi-xxxx-xxx-md](../../includes/appliesto-ss-asdbmi-xxxx-xxx-md.md)]

> [!IMPORTANT]  
> On [Azure SQL Database Managed Instance](https://docs.microsoft.com/azure/sql-database/sql-database-managed-instance), most, but not all SQL Server Agent features are currently supported. See [Azure SQL Database Managed Instance T-SQL differences from SQL Server](https://docs.microsoft.com/azure/sql-database/sql-database-managed-instance-transact-sql-information#sql-server-agent) for details.

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)].  
  
## <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 DB will be backed up...',   
       @job_name = N'Back up the AdventureWorks2012 Database' ;  
    GO  
    ```  
  
For more information, see [sp_add_alert (Transact-SQL)](https://msdn.microsoft.com/d9b41853-e22d-4813-a79f-57efb4511f09).