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<title>Resetting the Increment Identity's Starting Value in SQL Server</title>
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<h1>Resetting the Increment Identity's Starting Value in SQL Server</h1>
<p>Identity columns are commonly used in SQL Server to generate unique and sequential values for a table's primary key. These columns are set to automatically increment with each new row inserted into the table. However, there may be times when you need to reset the starting value of the identity column. This can be useful when you want to reseed the values or when you are importing data from another table. In this article, we will discuss the steps to reset the increment identity's starting value in SQL Server.</p>
<h2>Step 1: Identify the Table and Column</h2>
<p>The first step is to identify the table and column for which you want to reset the starting value of the identity column. This can be done by querying the <code>sys.identity_columns</code> system view. You can use the following query to get the list of tables and their corresponding identity columns:</p>
<pre><code>SELECT OBJECT_NAME(object_id) AS [Table Name], name AS [Column Name]
FROM sys.identity_columns
WHERE is_identity = 1
ORDER BY [Table Name]</code></pre>
<p>From the results, note down the table and column name for the identity column you want to reset.</p>
<h2>Step 2: Check the Current Identity Value</h2>
<p>Before resetting the starting value, it is important to check the current identity value. This will help you determine the new starting value. To check the current identity value, you can use the <code>IDENT_CURRENT</code> function. The syntax is as follows:</p>
<pre><code>SELECT IDENT_CURRENT('table_name')</code></pre>
<p>Replace <code>table_name</code> with the name of your table. This will return the current value of the identity column.</p>
<h2>Step 3: Reset the Identity Column</h2>
<p>Now that you have the table, column, and current identity value, you can reset the identity column's starting value. This can be done using the <code>DBCC CHECKIDENT</code> command. The syntax is as follows:</p>
<pre><code>DBCC CHECKIDENT('table_name', RESEED, new_starting_value)</code></pre>
<p>Replace <code>table_name</code> with the name of your table and <code>new_starting_value</code> with the value you want to set as the new starting value. This will reset the identity column's starting value to the specified value.</p>
<h2>Step 4: Verify the New Identity Value</h2>
<p>After resetting the identity column's starting value, it is important to verify that the new value has been set. You can use the <code>IDENT_CURRENT</code> function again to check the current identity value. It should now match the new starting value you set in the previous step.</p>
<h2>Conclusion</h2>
<p>In this article, we discussed the steps to reset the increment identity's starting value in SQL Server. By following these steps, you can easily reset the starting value of an identity column for a table. This can be a useful tool in managing your database and ensuring data integrity. </p>
