---
title: "IDENT_INCR (Transact-SQL) | Microsoft Docs"
ms.custom: ""
ms.date: "03/14/2017"
ms.prod: sql
ms.prod_service: "database-engine, sql-database"
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ms.technology: t-sql
ms.topic: "language-reference"
f1_keywords: 
  - "IDENT_INCR"
  - "IDENT_INCR_TSQL"
dev_langs: 
  - "TSQL"
helpviewer_keywords: 
  - "incremental values [SQL Server]"
  - "IDENT_INCR function"
  - "identity columns [SQL Server], IDENT_INCR function"
ms.assetid: e13b491f-4f1f-4cb6-8b63-5084120f98cf
author: VanMSFT
ms.author: vanto
---
# IDENT_INCR (Transact-SQL)
[!INCLUDE[tsql-appliesto-ss2008-asdb-xxxx-xxx-md](../../includes/tsql-appliesto-ss2008-asdb-xxxx-xxx-md.md)]

Returns the increment value specified when creating a table or view's identity column.  
  
![Article 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  
  
```  
IDENT_INCR ( 'table_or_view' )  
```  
  
## Arguments  
**'** *table_or_view* **'**  
Is an [expression](../../t-sql/language-elements/expressions-transact-sql.md) specifying the table or view to check for a valid identity increment value. *table_or_view* can be a character string constant enclosed in quotation marks. It can also be a variable, a function, or a column name. *table_or_view* is **char**, **nchar**, **varchar**, or **nvarchar**.  
  
## Return Types  
**numeric**([@@MAXPRECISION](../../t-sql/functions/max-precision-transact-sql.md),0))  
  
## Exceptions  
Returns NULL on error or if a caller doesn't have object view permission.  
  
In [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)], a user can only view the metadata of securables they own or have permissions for. Without user object permission, a metadata-emitting, built-in function, such as IDENT_INCR, may return NULL. For more information, see [Metadata Visibility Configuration](../../relational-databases/security/metadata-visibility-configuration.md).  
  
## Examples  
  
### A. Returning the increment value for a specified table  
 The following example returns the increment value for the `Person.Address` table in the [!INCLUDE[ssSampleDBnormal](../../includes/sssampledbnormal-md.md)] database.  
  
```sql  
USE AdventureWorks2012;  
GO  
SELECT IDENT_INCR('Person.Address') AS Identity_Increment;  
GO  
```  
  
### B. Returning the increment value from multiple tables  
 The following example returns the tables in the [!INCLUDE[ssSampleDBnormal](../../includes/sssampledbnormal-md.md)] database that includes an identity column with an increment value.  
  
```sql  
USE AdventureWorks2012;  
GO  
SELECT TABLE_SCHEMA, TABLE_NAME,   
   IDENT_INCR(TABLE_SCHEMA + '.' + TABLE_NAME) AS IDENT_INCR  
FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.TABLES  
WHERE IDENT_INCR(TABLE_SCHEMA + '.' + TABLE_NAME) IS NOT NULL;  
```  
  
 Here is a partial result set.  
  
 ```
 TABLE_SCHEMA        TABLE_NAME                IDENT_INCR  
------------        ------------------------  ----------  
Person              Address                            1  
Production          ProductReview                      1  
Production          TransactionHistory                 1  
Person              AddressType                        1  
Production          ProductSubcategory                 1  
Person              vAdditionalContactInfo             1  
dbo                 AWBuildVersion                     1  
Production          BillOfMaterials                    1
```  
  
## See Also  
 [Expressions (Transact-SQL)](../../t-sql/language-elements/expressions-transact-sql.md)   
 [System Functions (Transact-SQL)](../../relational-databases/system-functions/system-functions-category-transact-sql.md)   
 [IDENT_CURRENT (Transact-SQL)](../../t-sql/functions/ident-current-transact-sql.md)   
 [IDENT_SEED (Transact-SQL)](../../t-sql/functions/ident-seed-transact-sql.md)   
 [DBCC CHECKIDENT (Transact-SQL)](../../t-sql/database-console-commands/dbcc-checkident-transact-sql.md)   
 [sys.identity_columns (Transact-SQL)](../../relational-databases/system-catalog-views/sys-identity-columns-transact-sql.md)