Autocomplete and code formatting save time and prevent mistakes when they are set up well. This post covers the IntelliSense features in SSMS, the reasons they stop working, a simple formatting style, and a tested look at what formatting changes in the plan cache.
SQLCMD Mode in SSMS: Variables, :CONNECT and :r Includes
Use SQLCMD mode in SSMS for server and database variables, :CONNECT, :r include files, and an error-stop release script.
SQL Server – Using SSMS Command Line Parameters
My friend Vinod Kumar shows how SSMS Command Line parameters can save you a few clicks every time you open Management Studio and connect to a server.
Wrap SQL Code in SSMS: SQL in Sixty Seconds #038
You can wrap SQL code in SSMS so long lines fit the window and you never scroll sideways. This post gives the exact menu path, what each option on that page does, a long query to test it with and a shortcut for switching it on and off.
Take a Database Backup in SSMS: Step by Step
To take a database backup in SSMS, right-click the database, choose Tasks, then Back Up, and pick the backup type. This post walks through the dialog, shows the T-SQL that does the same work, explains the log backup error people meet first, and checks the files afterwards.
AutoRecover Settings in SSMS: Protect Your Unsaved Queries
The AutoRecover settings in SSMS decide how often unsaved work is copied to disk and how long the copies are kept. This post shows where to find the two options, what they can and cannot protect, how to test them once, and which habit still matters more than any setting.
Rename a Column or Table in SQL Server Safely
To rename a column in SQL Server, call sp_rename with the table and column name, the new name and the word COLUMN. This post tests the rename on a demo database and shows what it leaves behind: a broken view, an old constraint name and permissions that stay. It ends with a safe way to swap two column names.