SQL MAX of multiple columns?

Question

How do you return 1 value per row of the max of several columns:

TableName

[Number, Date1, Date2, Date3, Cost]

I need to return something like this:

[Number, Most_Recent_Date, Cost]

Query?

Answer 1

here is a good solution:

CREATE function [dbo].[inLineMax] (@v1 float,@v2 float,@v3 float,@v4 float)
returns float
as
begin
declare @val float
set @val = 0 
declare @TableVal table
(value float )
insert into @TableVal select @v1
insert into @TableVal select @v2
insert into @TableVal select @v3
insert into @TableVal select @v4

select @val= max(value) from @TableVal

return @val
end 

Answer 2

Based on the ScottPletcher's solution from http://www.experts-exchange.com/Microsoft/Development/MS-SQL-Server/Q_24204894.html I’ve created a set of functions (e.g. GetMaxOfDates3 , GetMaxOfDates13 )to find max of up to 13 Date values using UNION ALL. See T-SQL function to Get Maximum of values from the same row However I haven't considered UNPIVOT solution at the time of writing these functions

Answer 3

Problem: choose the minimum rate value given to an entity Requirements: Agency rates can be null

[MinRateValue] = 
CASE 
   WHEN ISNULL(FitchRating.RatingValue, 100) < = ISNULL(MoodyRating.RatingValue, 99) 
   AND  ISNULL(FitchRating.RatingValue, 100) < = ISNULL(StandardPoorsRating.RatingValue, 99) 
   THEN FitchgAgency.RatingAgencyName

   WHEN ISNULL(MoodyRating.RatingValue, 100) < = ISNULL(StandardPoorsRating.RatingValue , 99)
   THEN MoodyAgency.RatingAgencyName

   ELSE ISNULL(StandardPoorsRating.RatingValue, 'N/A') 
END 

Inspired by this answer from Nat

Answer 4

Another way to use CASE WHEN

SELECT CASE true 
       WHEN max(row1) >= max(row2) THEN CASE true WHEN max(row1) >= max(row3) THEN max(row1) ELSE max(row3) end ELSE
       CASE true WHEN max(row2) >= max(row3) THEN max(row2) ELSE max(row3) END END
FROM yourTable

Answer 5

There are 3 more methods where UNPIVOT (1) is the fastest by far, followed by Simulated Unpivot (3) which is much slower than (1) but still faster than (2)

CREATE TABLE dates
    (
      number INT PRIMARY KEY ,
      date1 DATETIME ,
      date2 DATETIME ,
      date3 DATETIME ,
      cost INT
    )

INSERT  INTO dates
VALUES  ( 1, '1/1/2008', '2/4/2008', '3/1/2008', 10 )
INSERT  INTO dates
VALUES  ( 2, '1/2/2008', '2/3/2008', '3/3/2008', 20 )
INSERT  INTO dates
VALUES  ( 3, '1/3/2008', '2/2/2008', '3/2/2008', 30 )
INSERT  INTO dates
VALUES  ( 4, '1/4/2008', '2/1/2008', '3/4/2008', 40 )
GO

Solution 1 (UNPIVOT)

SELECT  number ,
        MAX(dDate) maxDate ,
        cost
FROM    dates UNPIVOT ( dDate FOR nDate IN ( Date1, Date2,
                                            Date3 ) ) as u
GROUP BY number ,
        cost 
GO

Solution 2 (Sub query per row)

SELECT  number ,
        ( SELECT    MAX(dDate) maxDate
          FROM      ( SELECT    d.date1 AS dDate
                      UNION
                      SELECT    d.date2
                      UNION
                      SELECT    d.date3
                    ) a
        ) MaxDate ,
        Cost
FROM    dates d
GO

Solution 3 (Simulated UNPIVOT)

;WITH    maxD
          AS ( SELECT   number ,
                        MAX(CASE rn
                              WHEN 1 THEN Date1
                              WHEN 2 THEN date2
                              ELSE date3
                            END) AS maxDate
               FROM     dates a
                        CROSS JOIN ( SELECT 1 AS rn
                                     UNION
                                     SELECT 2
                                     UNION
                                     SELECT 3
                                   ) b
               GROUP BY Number
             )
    SELECT  dates.number ,
            maxD.maxDate ,
            dates.cost
    FROM    dates
            INNER JOIN MaxD ON dates.number = maxD.number
GO

DROP TABLE dates
GO

Answer 6

SELECT 
    CASE 
        WHEN Date1 >= Date2 AND Date1 >= Date3 THEN Date1 
        WHEN Date2 >= Date3 THEN Date2 
        ELSE Date3
    END AS MostRecentDate 

This is slightly easier to write out and skips evaluation steps as the case statement is evaluated in order.