RAND (Transact-SQL)
Applies to: SQL Server Azure SQL Database Azure SQL Managed Instance Azure Synapse Analytics
Returns a pseudo-random float value from 0 through 1, exclusive.
Transact-SQL syntax conventions
RAND ( [ seed ] )
Note
This syntax is not supported by serverless SQL pool in Azure Synapse Analytics.
Is an integer expression (tinyint, smallint, or int) that gives the seed value. If seed isn't specified, the SQL Server Database Engine assigns a seed value at random. For a specified seed value, the result returned is always the same.
float
Repetitive calls of RAND()
with the same seed value return the same results.
For one connection, if
RAND()
is called with a specified seed value, all subsequent calls ofRAND()
produce results based on the seededRAND()
call. For example, the following query always returns the same sequence of numbers.SELECT RAND(100), RAND(), RAND();
When you use the
RAND()
function in anUPDATE
orINSERT
query, all affected rows get the same value.
The following example produces four different random numbers generated by the RAND()
function.
DECLARE @counter SMALLINT;
SET @counter = 1;
WHILE @counter < 5
BEGIN
SELECT RAND() Random_Number
SET @counter = @counter + 1
END;
GO