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DecHow to insert values to identity column in SQL Server
Identity field is usually used as a primary key. When you insert a new record into your table, this field automatically assign an incremented value from the previous entry. Usually, you can't insert your own value to this field.
In this article, I am going to expose the tips for inserting your own value to this field. It is simple and easy. Consider you have the following Customer table.
CREATE TABLE Customer ( ID int IDENTITY, Name varchar(100), Address varchar(200) )
Now, I am trying to insert a record into Customer table with identity field like as then I will get the error message as shown below.
INSERT INTO Customer(ID,Name,Address) VALUES(1,'Shakham','Delhi')

Allow insert into identity field
You can alllow insert to the identity field by setting IDENTITY_INSERT ON for a particular table as shown:
SET IDENTITY_INSERT Customer ON
Disallow insert into identity field
You can also disalllow insert to the identity field by setting IDENTITY_INSERT OFF for a particular table as shown:
SET IDENTITY_INSERT Customer OFF
Insert Value to Identity field
Now, lets see how to insert our own values to identity field ID with in the Customer table.
SET IDENTITY_INSERT Customer ON INSERT INTO Customer(ID,Name,Address) VALUES(3,'Rahul','Noida') INSERT INTO Customer(ID,Name,Address) VALUES(4,'Rahul','Noida') SET IDENTITY_INSERT Customer OFF INSERT INTO Customer(Name,Address) VALUES('Rita','Noida')
After Inserting your own value to identity field don't forget to set IDENTITY_INSERT OFF.

Note
Usually, we use this trick when we have deleted some rows from the table and we want the data in a sequence.
After Inserting your own value to identity field don't forget to set IDENTITY_INSERT OFF
Reseed the Identity field
You can also reseed the identity field value. By doing so identity field values will start with a new defined value.
Suppose you want to reseed the Customer table ID field from 3 then the new record s will be inserted with ID 4,5,6..and so on.
--Reseeding the identity DBCC checkident (Customer, RESEED, 3) INSERT INTO Customer(Name,Address) VALUES('Geeta','Noida')

What do you think?
I hope you will enjoy the tips while playing with SQL Server. I would like to have feedback from my blog readers. Your valuable feedback, question, or comments about this article are always welcome.
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