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Applies to: SQL Server Azure SQL Database Azure SQL Managed Instance Azure Synapse Analytics Analytics Platform System (PDW) SQL analytics endpoint in Microsoft Fabric Warehouse in Microsoft Fabric
Returns the current database system timestamp as a datetime value without the database time zone offset. This value is derived from the operating system 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
GETDATE()
datetime
Transact-SQL statements can refer to GETDATE anywhere they can refer to a datetime expression.
GETDATE is a nondeterministic function. Views and expressions that reference this function in a column cannot be indexed.
Using SWITCHOFFSET with the function GETDATE() can cause the query to run slowly because the query optimizer is unable to obtain accurate cardinality estimates for the GETDATE value. We recommend that you precompute the GETDATE value and then specify that value in the query as shown in the following example. In addition, use the OPTION (RECOMPILE) query hint to force the query optimizer to recompile a query plan the next time the same query is executed. The optimizer will then have accurate cardinality estimates for GETDATE() and will produce a more efficient query plan.
DECLARE @dt datetimeoffset = switchoffset (CONVERT(datetimeoffset, GETDATE()), '-04:00');
SELECT * FROM t
WHERE c1 > @dt OPTION (RECOMPILE);
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.
SELECT SYSDATETIME()
,SYSDATETIMEOFFSET()
,SYSUTCDATETIME()
,CURRENT_TIMESTAMP
,GETDATE()
,GETUTCDATE();
Here's the result set.
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
SELECT CONVERT (date, SYSDATETIME())
,CONVERT (date, SYSDATETIMEOFFSET())
,CONVERT (date, SYSUTCDATETIME())
,CONVERT (date, CURRENT_TIMESTAMP)
,CONVERT (date, GETDATE())
,CONVERT (date, GETUTCDATE());
Here's the result set.
SYSDATETIME() 2007-05-03
SYSDATETIMEOFFSET() 2007-05-03
SYSUTCDATETIME() 2007-05-04
CURRENT_TIMESTAMP 2007-05-03
GETDATE() 2007-05-03
GETUTCDATE() 2007-05-04
SELECT CONVERT (time, SYSDATETIME())
,CONVERT (time, SYSDATETIMEOFFSET())
,CONVERT (time, SYSUTCDATETIME())
,CONVERT (time, CURRENT_TIMESTAMP)
,CONVERT (time, GETDATE())
,CONVERT (time, GETUTCDATE());
Here's the result set.
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
The following examples use the three 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.
SELECT SYSDATETIME()
,CURRENT_TIMESTAMP
,GETDATE();
SELECT CONVERT (date, SYSDATETIME())
,CONVERT (date, CURRENT_TIMESTAMP)
,CONVERT (date, GETDATE());
SELECT CONVERT (time, SYSDATETIME())
,CONVERT (time, CURRENT_TIMESTAMP)
,CONVERT (time, GETDATE());
Events
Mar 31, 11 PM - Apr 2, 11 PM
The ultimate SQL, Power BI, Fabric, and AI community-led event. March 31 - April 2. Use code MSCUST for a $150 discount. Prices go up Feb 11th.
Register today