SQL Scalar Function: SOUNDEX

Description

The SOUNDEX function generates a 4-character SOUNDEX code for a given string. It is used to approximate phonetic spelling, which is useful for indexing names in a database.

Syntax

SOUNDEX ( 'string' )

Parameters

• string: The string to be converted to a SOUNDEX code.

Return Value

A 4-character SOUNDEX code. If the input string is empty, the function returns an empty string.

Example

SELECT SOUNDEX('Smith'); -- Returns 'S933'
SELECT SOUNDEX('Jones'); -- Returns 'J933'
SELECT SOUNDEX('Smyth'); -- Returns 'S933'

Notes

The SOUNDEX function is based on the algorithm developed by IBM. It's important to note that SOUNDEX is a phonetic algorithm, not a perfect representation of the original word.

Refer to the official Microsoft documentation for more details.