---
title: "Altering a SQL Server table without impact"  
description: "Altering a SQL Server table without impact"  
author: "Anonymous User"  
published: 2013-05-04  
updated: 2013-05-04  
canonical: https://www.mindstick.com/forum/806/altering-a-sql-server-table-without-impact  
category: "mssql server"  
tags: ["mssql server"]  
reading_time: 2 minutes  

---

# Altering a SQL Server table without impact

Hi Everyone!\
I have a table with some 30 columns, already used in the [application](https://www.mindstick.com/articles/12824/calculator-application-in-android) extensively. i.e Select, Insert and Update operations for this table written in many different \
ways(in whatever ways the [developers](https://www.mindstick.com/articles/12875/blunders-you-must-avoid-while-hiring-java-developers-to-get-the-best-fulfilling-your-needs) thought they were comfortable) in number of [stored procedures](https://www.mindstick.com/forum/540/using-stored-procedures-with-entity-framework-in-an-asp-dot-net-application) and UDFs. I'm now handed with a task to extend the [functionality](https://www.mindstick.com/blog/136/using-watermark-functionality-in-textbox-by-jquery) \
for which the table serves and I'm in need to [add additional](https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/51610/can-i-add-additional-or-custom-ringtones-to-the-iphone) detail to the table(generally can be assumed as an additional column to the table). Adding additional \
column to the table is a massive and inefficient task I don't want to do considering the impact it will cause elsewhere.\
Another way i can think of now is creating a new table with [foreign key](https://www.mindstick.com/blog/174/foreign-key-self-reference-constraint) to the main table and maintaining the records in the new table. I'm skeptical of this way too. \
What is the effective way to handle this sort of modifications in the schema of the table?\
Using [SQL Server](https://www.mindstick.com/articles/12999/what-is-table-valued-function-in-sql-server) 2000 in case it's needed.\
Edit:\
Unfortuantely, column should not accept [NULL values](https://www.mindstick.com/interview/34072/optional-class-in-java-handling-null-values-more-effectively). Missed this crucial info indeed\
Impacts i think which can occur due to already implemented poor practices are,\
1) "SELECT *" and binding to some datagrid directly to [front end](https://www.mindstick.com/forum/12668/send-date-from-my-front-end-angular-to-c-sharp-dot-net-datetime-webapi). (very very low probable)\
2) using Column numbers to fetch from dataset or datatable instead of column names in front end when using "SELECT *"\
3) "Insert into" with values given sequentially instead of with column names.\
By some way, if i can make the column to accept "NULL" values(by tweaking [requirements](https://www.mindstick.com/articles/12850/drivers-license-requirements) a bit) any impact due to the above points?\
I'm doubtful of analysisng existing code because number of SPs and functions using this table can run into hundreds.\
Thanks in advance!

## Replies

### Reply by AVADHESH PATEL

Hi Lois!\
Build a new table with all the columns you need, call it whatever you want.Create a view, name it the same as the old table, and have it return all the columns the old table used to.???$(yes, I know that this might be confusing for maintenance because a lot of DBAs use a naming convention for views: V_Viewname. I never got into naming a SQL object after what type of object it is and don't see the benefit of such a convention)\


---

Original Source: https://www.mindstick.com/forum/806/altering-a-sql-server-table-without-impact

Copyright © MindStick Software Pvt. Ltd. This Markdown version is provided for developers, AI systems, and offline reading.