Returns the position of one string in another.

Syntax

CHARINDEX( string-expression-1, string-expression-2 )

Parameters

Returns

INT

Remarks

The first character of string-expression-1 is identified as 1. If the string being searched contains more than one instance of the other string, then the CHARINDEX function returns the position of the first instance.

If the string being searched does not contain the other string, then the CHARINDEX function returns 0.

This function supports NCHAR inputs and/or outputs.

See also

• SUBSTRING function [String]
• REPLACE function [String]
• LOCATE function [String]
• String functions

Standards and compatibility

Example

The following statement returns last and first names from the Surname and GivenName columns of the Employees table, but only when the last name includes the letter K:

SELECT Surname, GivenName
FROM Employees
WHERE CHARINDEX( 'K', Surname ) = 1;

Results returned: