This month's discount Comprehensive Database Performance Health Check Testimonials
SQLAuthority with Pinal Dave
Home

SQL SERVER – Fix : Error : Server: Msg 544, Level 16, State 1, Line 1 Cannot insert explicit value for identity column in table

Pinal Dave
SQL Tips and Tricks
2 Comments

Msg 544 means you tried to insert a value into an identity column while IDENTITY_INSERT is OFF. Error Message:

SQL SERVER - Fix : Error : Server: Msg 544, Level 16, State 1, Line 1 Cannot insert explicit value for identity column in table

Server: Msg 544, Level 16, State 1, Line 1 Cannot insert explicit value for identity column in table when IDENTITY_INSERT is set to OFF.

This error message appears when you try to insert a value into a column for which the IDENTITY property was declared, but without having set the IDENTITY_INSERT setting for the table to ON.

Fix/WorkAround/Solution: 

/* Turn Identity Insert ON so records can be inserted in the Identity Column  */
SET IDENTITY_INSERT [dbo].[TableName] ON
GO
INSERT INTO [dbo].[TableName] ( [ID], [Name] )
VALUES ( 2, 'InsertName')
GO
/* Turn Identity Insert OFF  */
SET IDENTITY_INSERT [dbo].[TableName] OFF
GO

Setting the IDENTITY_INSERT to ON allows explicit values to be inserted into the identity column of a table. Execute permissions for the SET IDENTITY_INSERT default to the sysadmin fixed server role and the db_owner and db_ddladmin fixed database roles, and the object owner.

Published by Pinal Dave on SQLAuthority. More of my work at pinaldave.com.

SQL Error Messages, SQL Identity, SQL Scripts
Previous Post
SQL SERVER – 2005 Change Database Compatible Level – Backward Compatibility
Next Post
SQL SERVER – Trace Flags – DBCC TRACEON

Related Posts

2 Comments. Leave new

  • Gourav Chavan
    March 22, 2012 2:05 pm

    can we use above statements inside a stored procedure ?
    my stored procedure will also use begin transaction and commit

    Reply
  • Rogan
    June 25, 2013 8:49 pm

    I did this and I’ve done this a million times in the past. At new job I am trying and keep coming up with the error. Is there something that could be turning it off right after it is set to “on”?

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Fill out this field
Fill out this field
Please enter a valid email address.

SQL Server slow? Let's fix it together in about four hours.

Pinal Dave

In my Comprehensive Database Performance Health Check, you share your screen, I guide you, and we fix your biggest performance troublemakers. No passwords. No remote access.

You keep every script, and the know-how to fix it yourself next time.

Want your whole team to learn it?

My Practical Workshop has no PowerPoint, just live demos. My AI Enablement Workshop shows your team where AI saves hours, and where it quietly costs them.

Over 400 customers have worked with me this way, and not one shared a password. See all consulting options.

Who We Are

Pinal Dave is an SQL Server Performance Tuning Expert and independent consultant with over 24 years of hands-on experience. He holds a Masters of Science degree and numerous database certifications.

Pinal has authored 18 SQL Server database books and 120 Pluralsight courses. To freely share his knowledge and help others build their expertise, Pinal has also written more than 5,800 database tech articles on his blog at https://blog.sqlauthority.com.

Pinal is also a CrossFit Level 1 Trainer (CF-L1) and CrossFit Level 2 Trainer (CF-L2).

Nupur Dave is a social media enthusiast and an independent consultant. She primarily focuses on the database domain, helping clients build short and long-term multi-channel campaigns to drive leads for their sales pipeline.

Shaivi Pinalkumar Dave is a book author and a women’s artistic gymnast.