SYSDATETIME (Transact-SQL)
Applies to: SQL Server Azure SQL Database Azure SQL Managed Instance Azure Synapse Analytics Analytics Platform System (PDW)
Returns a datetime2(7) value that contains the date and time of the computer on which the instance of SQL Server is running.
Note
SYSDATETIME and SYSUTCDATETIME have more fractional seconds precision than GETDATE and GETUTCDATE. SYSDATETIMEOFFSET includes the system time zone offset. SYSDATETIME, SYSUTCDATETIME, and SYSDATETIMEOFFSET can be assigned to a variable of any of the date and time types.
Azure SQL Database (with the exception of Azure SQL Managed Instance) and Azure Synapse Analytics follow UTC. Use AT TIME ZONE in Azure SQL Database or Azure Synapse Analytics if you need to interpret date and time information in a non-UTC time zone.
For an overview of all Transact-SQL date and time data types and functions, see Date and Time Data Types and Functions (Transact-SQL).
Transact-SQL syntax conventions
Syntax
SYSDATETIME ( )
Return Type
datetime2(7)
Remarks
Transact-SQL statements can refer to SYSDATETIME anywhere they can refer to a datetime2(7) expression.
SYSDATETIME is a nondeterministic function. Views and expressions that reference this function in a column cannot be indexed.
Note
SQL Server obtains the date and time values by using the GetSystemTimeAsFileTime() Windows API. The accuracy depends on the computer hardware and version of Windows on which the instance of SQL Server is running. The precision of this API is fixed at 100 nanoseconds. The accuracy can be determined by using the GetSystemTimeAdjustment() Windows API.
Examples
The following examples use the six SQL Server system functions that return current date and time to return the date, time or both. The values are returned in series; therefore, their fractional seconds might be different.
A. Getting the current system date and time
SELECT SYSDATETIME()
,SYSDATETIMEOFFSET()
,SYSUTCDATETIME()
,CURRENT_TIMESTAMP
,GETDATE()
,GETUTCDATE();
/* Returned:
SYSDATETIME() 2007-04-30 13:10:02.0474381
SYSDATETIMEOFFSET()2007-04-30 13:10:02.0474381 -07:00
SYSUTCDATETIME() 2007-04-30 20:10:02.0474381
CURRENT_TIMESTAMP 2007-04-30 13:10:02.047
GETDATE() 2007-04-30 13:10:02.047
GETUTCDATE() 2007-04-30 20:10:02.047
*/
B. Getting the current system date
SELECT CONVERT (date, SYSDATETIME())
,CONVERT (date, SYSDATETIMEOFFSET())
,CONVERT (date, SYSUTCDATETIME())
,CONVERT (date, CURRENT_TIMESTAMP)
,CONVERT (date, GETDATE())
,CONVERT (date, GETUTCDATE());
/* All returned 2007-04-30 */
C. Getting the current system time
SELECT CONVERT (time, SYSDATETIME())
,CONVERT (time, SYSDATETIMEOFFSET())
,CONVERT (time, SYSUTCDATETIME())
,CONVERT (time, CURRENT_TIMESTAMP)
,CONVERT (time, GETDATE())
,CONVERT (time, GETUTCDATE());
/* Returned
SYSDATETIME() 13:18:45.3490361
SYSDATETIMEOFFSET()13:18:45.3490361
SYSUTCDATETIME() 20:18:45.3490361
CURRENT_TIMESTAMP 13:18:45.3470000
GETDATE() 13:18:45.3470000
GETUTCDATE() 20:18:45.3470000
*/
Examples: Azure Synapse Analytics and Analytics Platform System (PDW)
D: Getting the current system date and time
SELECT SYSDATETIME();
Here's the result set.
--------------------------
7/20/2013 2:49:59 PM
See Also
CAST and CONVERT (Transact-SQL)
Date and Time Data Types and Functions (Transact-SQL)