SQL – Getdate

By David Crowther

Question:

How can I automatically insert the date into records in my SQL table?

Answer:

You may have a GIS Layer e.g. Planning Applications that are stored as a Table in a SQL database. Each time a new record (Planning App) is inserted into that table you would like today’s date adding into a Date Created field.

In our example we have a Planning App layer in our webGIS - MapThat.

Before we insert a new record into the Planning Apps layer, we will edit the SCHEMA of our SQL Table to. To do this, select the table via SSMS > right click and choose DESIGN.

• Add a Date_Created Field – Type Date.
• Using a Default Value – of Todays Date by using the text – getdate()

Close and Save the changes to the Table Schema.

Now using MapThat (or QGIS), when a user adds a new record into the layer (Planning App)…

….. once the new record has been inserted, the new field Date_Created will automatically be updated with today’s date by using the default value of getdate().