Server configuration: two digit year cutoff
Applies to: SQL Server
This article describes how to configure the two digit year cutoff
server configuration option in SQL Server by using SQL Server Management Studio or Transact-SQL. The two digit year cutoff
option specifies an integer from 1753 to 9999 that represents the cutoff year for interpreting two-digit years as four-digit years. The default time span for SQL Server is 1950-2049, which represents a cutoff year of 2049. This means that SQL Server interprets a two-digit year of 49 as 2049, a two-digit year of 50 as 1950, and a two-digit year of 99 as 1999. To maintain backward compatibility, leave the setting at the default value.
Recommendations
This option is an advanced option and should be changed only by an experienced database administrator or certified SQL Server professional.
OLE Automation objects use 2030 as the two-digit cutoff year. You can use the two digit year cutoff
option to provide consistency in date values between SQL Server and client applications.
To avoid ambiguity with dates, always use four-digit years in your data.
Permissions
Execute permissions on sp_configure
with no parameters or with only the first parameter are granted to all users by default. To execute sp_configure
with both parameters to change a configuration option or to run the RECONFIGURE
statement, a user must be granted the ALTER SETTINGS
server-level permission. The ALTER SETTINGS
permission is implicitly held by the sysadmin and serveradmin fixed server roles.
Use SQL Server Management Studio
In Object Explorer, right-click a server and select Properties.
Select the Misc server settings node.
Under Two digit year support, in the When a two digit year is entered, interpret it as a year between box, type or select a value that is the ending year of the time span.
Use Transact-SQL
Connect to the Database Engine.
From the Standard bar, select New Query.
Copy and paste the following example into the query window and select Execute. This example shows how to use sp_configure to set the value of the
two digit year cutoff
option to2030
.USE master; GO EXECUTE sp_configure 'show advanced options', 1; GO RECONFIGURE; GO EXECUTE sp_configure 'two digit year cutoff', 2030; GO RECONFIGURE; GO EXECUTE sp_configure 'show advanced options', 0; GO RECONFIGURE; GO
For more information, see Server configuration options.
Follow up: After you configure the two digit year cutoff option
The setting takes effect immediately without restarting the server.