[sql] Formatting Numbers by padding with leading zeros in SQL Server

We have an old SQL table that was used by SQL Server 2000 for close to 10 years.

In it, our employee badge numbers are stored as char(6) from 000001 to 999999.

I am writing a web application now, and I need to store employee badge numbers.

In my new table, I could take the short cut and copy the old table, but I am hoping for better data transfer, smaller size, etc, by simply storing the int values from 1 to 999999.

In C#, I can quickly format an int value for the badge number using

public static string GetBadgeString(int badgeNum) {
  return string.Format("{0:000000}", badgeNum);
  // alternate
  // return string.Format("{0:d6}", badgeNum);
}

How would I modify this simple SQL query to format the returned value as well?

SELECT EmployeeID
FROM dbo.RequestItems
WHERE ID=0

If EmployeeID is 7135, this query should return 007135.

Just use the FORMAT function (works on SQL Server 2012 or newer):

SELECT FORMAT(EmployeeID, '000000')
FROM dbo.RequestItems
WHERE ID=0 

Reference: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh213505.aspx

In my version of SQL I can't use REPLICATE. SO I did this:

SELECT 
    CONCAT(REPEAT('0', 6-LENGTH(emplyeeID)), emplyeeID) AS emplyeeID 
FROM 
    dbo.RequestItems`

The solution works for signed / negative numbers with leading zeros, for all Sql versions:

DECLARE
    @n money = -3,
    @length tinyint = 15,
    @decimals tinyint = 0

SELECT REPLICATE('-', CHARINDEX('-', @n, 1)) + REPLACE(REPLACE(str(@n, @length, @decimals), '-', ''), ' ', '0')

As clean as it could get and give scope of replacing with variables:

Select RIGHT(REPLICATE('0',6) + EmployeeID, 6) from dbo.RequestItems
WHERE ID=0

SELECT 
    cast(replace(str(EmployeeID,6),' ','0')as char(6)) 
FROM dbo.RequestItems
WHERE ID=0

Another way, just for completeness.

DECLARE @empNumber INT = 7123
SELECT STUFF('000000', 6-LEN(@empNumber)+1, LEN(@empNumber), @empNumber)

Or, as per your query

SELECT STUFF('000000', 6-LEN(EmployeeID)+1, LEN(EmployeeID), EmployeeID) 
         AS EmployeeCode
FROM dbo.RequestItems
WHERE ID=0

The simplest is always the best:

Select EmployeeID*1 as EmployeeID 

Hated having to CONVERT the int, and this seems much simpler. Might even perform better since there's only one string conversion and simple addition.

select RIGHT(1000000 + EmployeeId, 6) ...

Just make sure the "1000000" has at least as many zeros as the size needed.

From version 2012 and on you can use

SELECT FORMAT(EmployeeID,'000000')
FROM dbo.RequestItems
WHERE ID=0

SELECT replicate('0', 6 - len(employeeID)) + convert(varchar, employeeID) as employeeID
FROM dbo.RequestItems 
WHERE ID=0

You can change your procedure in this way

SELECT Right('000000' + CONVERT(NVARCHAR, EmployeeID), 6) AS EmpIDText, 
       EmployeeID
FROM dbo.RequestItems 
WHERE ID=0 

However this assumes that your EmployeeID is a numeric value and this code change the result to a string, I suggest to add again the original numeric value

EDIT Of course I have not read carefully the question above. It says that the field is a char(6) so EmployeeID is not a numeric value. While this answer has still a value per se, it is not the correct answer to the question above.

I am posting all at one place, all works for me to pad with 4 leading zero :)

declare @number int =  1;
print right('0000' + cast(@number as varchar(4)) , 4)
print right('0000' + convert(varchar(4), @number) , 4)
print right(replicate('0',4) + convert(varchar(4), @number) , 4)
print  cast(replace(str(@number,4),' ','0')as char(4))
print format(@number,'0000')