Cannot resolve the collation conflict is Msg 468, and it appears when two text columns use different collations. I reproduced it on SQL Server 2025 with a temp table, found the mismatched columns with a query and tested three fixes, from a COLLATE clause in the query to changing the column itself.
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Overlapping Indexes With INCLUDE Columns: Merging Them Safely
Find overlapping indexes, compare ordered keys and INCLUDE lists, merge coverage carefully, and review usage before removing either index.
Plan Cache Duplicates From Whitespace and Case Differences
One extra space or a lowercase keyword gives you a second cached plan. See it in the cache, and learn what actually fixes it.
Where T-SQL Differs From the ANSI Standard
See where T-SQL differs from the ANSI standard in row limits, concatenation, NULL behavior, and practical query portability.
Temp Table Scope in Nested Procedures and Dynamic SQL
Explain temp table scope across nested procedures and dynamic SQL, reproduce missing and duplicate-name errors, and pass rows safely.
Add an XML Column to a Table: One Row, Many Related Values
To add an XML column to a table, use ALTER TABLE with the xml data type, and each row can then carry a list of related values. This post adds a Labels column to a Recipes table, fills it, checks that bad XML is refused, and asks questions with value() and exist(). It then builds the same data as a child table and compares what each design can enforce. Every result comes from SQL Server 2025.
Run a String as SQL: EXEC, Parameters and Four Traps
To run a string as SQL, you pass it to EXEC or to sp_executesql, and SQL Server runs the text as a statement. This post builds a string from pieces, shows why EXEC cannot take parameters, and adds them with sp_executesql. It also shows four traps: a variable the string cannot see, a NULL that empties the string, a variable that is too short, and a function that cannot run a string. Every result comes from SQL Server 2025.
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