Why does EXCEPT not work? Incorrect Syntax near the Word Except

Question

SELECT SKU
FROM PartProductSupplemental
EXCEPT
SELECT SKU
FROM Inventory

Why do I get this error:

Incorrect Syntax near the Word Except

I check on line and syntax is syntactically correct:

SELECT ProductID 
FROM Production.WorkOrder
EXCEPT
SELECT ProductID 
FROM Production.Product

Answer 1

Your database compatibility mode is probably set to 2000 (80) or earlier.

In Management Studio:

1. Right click on the database name under the "Databases" heading in the Object Explorer
2. In the Properties window that pops up, select "Options" - Compatibility Level is third from the top, on the right.

Answer 2

When I run the following it works fine:

with PartProductSupplemental as
(
  SELECT 1 sku
  UNION
  select 2
  UNION
  SELECT 3
  UNION
  select 4
  UNION 
  SELECT 5
),
Inventory as
(
  SELECT 1 sku
  UNION
  select 2
  UNION
  SELECT 3

)

SELECT SKU
FROM PartProductSupplemental
EXCEPT
SELECT SKU
FROM Inventory

Are you sure this is actually what you are running? Is there any sql above that?

Answer 3

try using distinct and MINUS just to test.

Except should have worked as well, are the fields of the same type ?

(it works also on 2005, according to documentation and you don't need () on the 2nd phrase).