SQL update query using joins

Question

I have to update a field with a value which is returned by a join of 3 tables.

Example:

select
    im.itemid
    ,im.sku as iSku
    ,gm.SKU as GSKU         


        

Answer 1

You can update with MERGE Command with much more control over MATCHED and NOT MATCHED:(I slightly changed the source code to demonstrate my point)

USE tempdb;
GO
IF(OBJECT_ID('target') > 0)DROP TABLE dbo.target
IF(OBJECT_ID('source') > 0)DROP TABLE dbo.source
CREATE TABLE dbo.Target
    (
      EmployeeID INT ,
      EmployeeName VARCHAR(100) ,
      CONSTRAINT Target_PK PRIMARY KEY ( EmployeeID )
    );
CREATE TABLE dbo.Source
    (
      EmployeeID INT ,
      EmployeeName VARCHAR(100) ,
      CONSTRAINT Source_PK PRIMARY KEY ( EmployeeID )
    );
GO
INSERT  dbo.Target
        ( EmployeeID, EmployeeName )
VALUES  ( 100, 'Mary' );
INSERT  dbo.Target
        ( EmployeeID, EmployeeName )
VALUES  ( 101, 'Sara' );
INSERT  dbo.Target
        ( EmployeeID, EmployeeName )
VALUES  ( 102, 'Stefano' );

GO
INSERT  dbo.Source
        ( EmployeeID, EmployeeName )
VALUES  ( 100, 'Bob' );
INSERT  dbo.Source
        ( EmployeeID, EmployeeName )
VALUES  ( 104, 'Steve' );
GO

SELECT * FROM dbo.Source
SELECT * FROM dbo.Target

MERGE Target AS T
USING Source AS S
ON ( T.EmployeeID = S.EmployeeID )
WHEN MATCHED THEN
    UPDATE SET T.EmployeeName = S.EmployeeName + '[Updated]';
GO 
SELECT '-------After Merge----------'
SELECT * FROM dbo.Source
SELECT * FROM dbo.Target