CGC-Agency | SQL with Salesforce Marketing Cloud

Why SQL Matters in Salesforce Marketing Cloud

Salesforce Marketing Cloud (SFMC) is a powerful platform for managing customer data, designing personalized campaigns, and analyzing performance. While drag-and-drop filters offer a simple way to segment data, they often fall short for advanced use cases. That’s where SQL (Structured Query Language) becomes essential.

In SFMC, SQL allows you to:

Customize Output: Define specific columns and rename them for better usability.
Handle Complex Conditions: Apply advanced filtering logic beyond filters.
Integrate Multiple Sources: Combine data from multiple data extensions or data views.
Automate Processes: Use SQL in Query Activities within Automation Studio for scheduled segmentation.

A Beginner’s Guide to SQL in SFMC

Unlike standard SQL, SFMC supports only the SELECT statement. You can pull data, but you can’t modify it directly in the database (INSERT, UPDATE, and DELETE are unsupported). Here's a quick breakdown of the basic syntax:

SELECT column1, column2, ...
FROM DataExtensionName
WHERE condition;

Practical Example

Suppose you want to extract all active subscribers:

SELECT SubscriberKey, EmailAddress
FROM _Subscribers
WHERE Status = 'Active';

Advanced SQL Techniques in SFMC

1. JOIN: Combine Data Sources

SFMC allows you to join data from multiple tables. For example, if you want to combine subscriber data with their engagement data:

SELECT s.SubscriberKey, s.EmailAddress, o.EventDate AS OpenDate
FROM _Subscribers s
INNER JOIN _Open o
ON s.SubscriberKey = o.SubscriberKey
WHERE o.EventDate > DATEADD(day, -30, GETDATE());

2. CASE Statements: Conditional Logic

You can create new columns dynamically based on conditions. For instance, categorize subscribers based on their email domain:

SELECT SubscriberKey, 
       EmailAddress,
       CASE 
           WHEN EmailAddress LIKE '%@gmail.com' THEN 'Gmail User'
           WHEN EmailAddress LIKE '%@yahoo.com' THEN 'Yahoo User'
           ELSE 'Other'
       END AS EmailCategory
FROM _Subscribers;

3. Aggregations and Grouping

Analyze your data with functions like COUNT, SUM, or AVG. For example, to count email sends per domain:

SELECT SUBSTRING(EmailAddress, CHARINDEX('@', EmailAddress) + 1, LEN(EmailAddress)) AS Domain,
       COUNT(*) AS TotalSends
FROM _Sent
GROUP BY SUBSTRING(EmailAddress, CHARINDEX('@', EmailAddress) + 1, LEN(EmailAddress))
ORDER BY TotalSends DESC;

Overcoming SQL Limitations in SFMC

      AutoKill Limit: Queries that run longer than 30 minutes are automatically terminated. To avoid this:
      Optimize Input Data: Use filters or retention settings to limit the size of your source data extensions.
Break Queries into Steps: Split complex queries into smaller, more manageable parts.

    

Real-Life Use Case: Re-Engagement Campaign

Target subscribers who:

Have not opened an email in the last 90 days.
Belong to the "Premium" customer segment.

SELECT s.SubscriberKey, s.EmailAddress
FROM _Subscribers s
LEFT JOIN _Open o
ON s.SubscriberKey = o.SubscriberKey
WHERE s.Status = 'Active'
  AND s.SubscriberKey IN (SELECT SubscriberKey FROM PremiumCustomers)
  AND (o.EventDate IS NULL OR o.EventDate < DATEADD(day, -90, GETDATE()));

SELECT Statement in SFMC SQL

The SELECT statement opens each query in Salesforce Marketing Cloud SQL. It picks the columns from the source data extensions and system data views and allows you to create entirely new data points.

Basic Usage

The simplest version of this statement is SELECT *, which targets all available columns from the source. However, this is not recommended as it reduces readability and performance:

SELECT *
FROM DataExtensionName;

Instead, explicitly target columns by their names:

SELECT
      ContactKey,
      EmailAddress
FROM DataExtensionName;

For column names with spaces or special characters, use square brackets:

SELECT
      ContactKey,
      EmailAddress,
      [External Contact Id]
FROM DataExtensionName;

Aliasing with AS

Use the AS keyword to rename columns or add custom values:

SELECT
      ContactKey,
      EmailAddress,
      [External Contact Id] AS ExternalContactId,
      'Lead' AS RecordType,
      GETUTCDATE() AS ImportDate
FROM DataExtensionName;

Concatenating Values

Create new columns by combining existing data, like concatenating names:

SELECT
      SubscriberKey,
      EmailAddress,
      FirstName + ' ' + LastName AS FullName
FROM DataExtensionName;

Using the TOP Clause

Limit the number of rows returned with the TOP clause:

SELECT TOP 10
      SubscriberKey,
      PreferredChannel
FROM DataExtensionName;

For a percentage of rows, use TOP PERCENT:

SELECT TOP 10 PERCENT
      SubscriberKey,
      QuizScore
FROM DataExtensionName
ORDER BY QuizScore DESC;

WITH TIES

Include rows that match the last value of a sorted column:

SELECT TOP 3 WITH TIES
      SubscriberKey,
      QuizScore
FROM DataExtensionName
ORDER BY QuizScore DESC;

DISTINCT for Deduplication

Use DISTINCT to retrieve unique values:

SELECT DISTINCT
      Domain
FROM DataExtensionName
ORDER BY Domain;

Best Practices

Always target columns explicitly for better readability.
Use aliases to improve output consistency.
Combine TOP with ORDER BY for predictable results.
Use DISTINCT for deduplication and clean data extraction.

Basic FROM in SFMC SQL

The SELECT statement alone won't do much. Once you have selected the data you want to work with, you also need to pick the table (Data Extension or System Data View) FROM which the query will retrieve the required columns.

SELECT
      ContactKey,
      EmailAddress
FROM MasterSubscriberDE;

If the name of your Data Extension contains spaces or hyphens, enclose it in square brackets:

SELECT
      ContactKey,
      EmailAddress
FROM [Master-Subscriber DE];

System Data Views

Salesforce Marketing Cloud hides the System Data Views in the UI, but you can query them directly for tracking and technical data, like Email Sends, Opens, Bounces, etc. Use an underscore (_) prefix when querying them:

SELECT
      JobID,
      EmailID,
      EmailName,
      EmailSubject,
      EmailSendDefinition,
      DeliveredTime
FROM _Job;

Enterprise Data Extensions

Shared and Synchronized Data Extensions are located at the Parent Business Unit level. To query them from the Parent BU, use the standard naming:

SELECT
      ContactKey,
      EmailAddress
FROM SharedDataExtension;

From a child Business Unit, use the Ent. prefix:

SELECT
      ContactKey,
      EmailAddress
FROM Ent.SharedDataExtension;

Enterprise System Data Views

Using the Ent. prefix with System Data Views allows you to query all data at the Parent BU level:

SELECT
      SubscriberKey,
      EmailAddress,
      DateJoined,
      DateUnsubscribed
FROM Ent._Subscribers;

Legacy Querying (Deprecated)

In the past, you could query Data Extensions on a child BU from the Parent BU using the child BU's MID as a prefix. This functionality has been deprecated since 2020:

SELECT
      ContactKey,
      EmailAddress
FROM 5123456.DataExtensionOnChildBU;

The workaround is to use Shared Data Extensions instead.

Best Practices

Avoid querying Data Extensions with a cumulative field width greater than 4000 characters to maintain performance.
Use the Ent. prefix carefully to access data across Business Units.
Leverage Shared Data Extensions to avoid unexpected errors in automation.

SFMC SQL JOIN

Data Extensions. System Data Views. With the JOIN statement, use one query to rule them all. The real magic of SQL shines when you combine information from multiple data sources.

Example Query

Check who opened the email and when by querying the _Open System Data View:

SELECT
      wel.SubscriberKey,
      wel.EmailAddress,
      o.EventDate AS OpenDate
FROM WelcomeCampaignSegment AS wel
    JOIN _Open AS o
        ON o.SubscriberKey = wel.SubscriberKey;

JOIN Types

Inner Join

The INNER JOIN returns records present in both tables:

SELECT
      wel.SubscriberKey,
      wel.EmailAddress,
      o.EventDate AS OpenDate
FROM WelcomeCampaignSegment AS wel
    INNER JOIN _Open AS o
        ON o.SubscriberKey = wel.SubscriberKey;

Left and Right Joins

LEFT JOIN includes all records from the first table and matches from the second table:

SELECT
      wel.SubscriberKey,
      wel.EmailAddress,
      o.EventDate AS OpenDate
FROM WelcomeCampaignSegment AS wel
    LEFT JOIN _Open AS o
        ON o.SubscriberKey = wel.SubscriberKey;

Use WHERE with IS NULL for exclusions:

SELECT
      wel.SubscriberKey,
      wel.EmailAddress
FROM WelcomeCampaignSegment AS wel
    LEFT JOIN _Open AS o
        ON o.SubscriberKey = wel.SubscriberKey
WHERE o.SubscriberKey IS NULL;

Full Join

FULL JOIN retrieves all records from both tables with unmatched rows having NULL values:

SELECT
      wel.SubscriberKey,
      wel.EmailAddress,
      o.EventDate AS OpenDate
FROM WelcomeCampaignSegment AS wel
    FULL JOIN _Open AS o
        ON o.SubscriberKey = wel.SubscriberKey;

Self-Join

Join a table to itself to create hierarchical relationships:

SELECT
      c.CategoryName AS Category,
      pc.CategoryName AS ParentCategory
FROM WristwatchesDE AS c
    INNER JOIN WristwatchesDE AS pc
        ON pc.CategoryID = c.ParentCategoryID;

Union

Concatenate rows from multiple queries:

SELECT
      jan.SubscriberKey,
      jan.EmailAddress
FROM JanuaryEventParticipants AS jan

UNION

SELECT
      feb.SubscriberKey,
      feb.EmailAddress
FROM FebruaryEventParticipants AS feb;

Intersect

Retrieve only rows existing in both queries:

SELECT bf.SubscriberKey
FROM BlackFridayPromoSegment AS bf

INTERSECT

SELECT p.SubscriberKey
FROM PurchasesDataPoint AS p;

Except

Retrieve rows existing only in the first query:

SELECT bf.SubscriberKey
FROM BlackFridayPromoSegment AS bf

EXCEPT

SELECT p.SubscriberKey
FROM PurchasesDataPoint AS p;

Best Practices

Use JOIN consistently and clearly for better readability.
Leverage aliases for shorter and more readable queries.
Mix JOIN and UNION for complex data requirements.
Use Venn diagrams to visualize and debug multi-join queries.

SFMC SQL WHERE

Use WHERE to make your query lean and to the point. With just SELECT and FROM, you can start building queries, but WHERE grants you the power to filter outcomes effectively.

Basic Example

Filter results based on conditions:

SELECT
      SubscriberKey,
      EmailAddress
FROM _Subscribers
WHERE Domain = 'mateuszdabrowski.pl';

Basic Operators

Common operators include:

= : Equal to
!= or <> : Not equal to
>, <, >=, <= : Comparison operators

-- Example: All subscribers that do not have the unsubscribed status
SELECT
      SubscriberKey,
      EmailAddress
FROM _Subscribers
WHERE Status != 'unsubscribed';

LIKE Operator

Use LIKE with wildcards to filter records based on partial matches:

-- Example: All subscribers with Phone subscription
SELECT
      SubscriberKey,
      EmailAddress
FROM MasterSubscriberDE
WHERE ActiveSubscription LIKE '%Phone%';

Logical Operators

Combine conditions using AND and OR:

-- Example: Subscribers with Phone subscription AND are in their 12th month
SELECT
      SubscriberKey,
      EmailAddress
FROM MasterSubscriberDE
WHERE
    ActiveSubscription LIKE '%Phone%'
    AND CONVERT(DATE, SubscriptionStart) >= DATEADD(MONTH, -12, CONVERT(DATE, GETUTCDATE()))
    AND CONVERT(DATE, SubscriptionStart) < DATEADD(MONTH, -11, CONVERT(DATE, GETUTCDATE()));

BETWEEN and IN Shorthands

Use BETWEEN for ranges and IN for multiple values:

-- Example: Filter by date range
SELECT
      SubscriberKey,
      EmailAddress
FROM MasterSubscriberDE
WHERE SubscriptionStart
      BETWEEN DATEADD(MONTH, -12, CONVERT(DATE, GETUTCDATE()))
      AND DATEADD(MONTH, -11, CONVERT(DATE, GETUTCDATE()));

-- Example: Filter by multiple statuses
SELECT
      SubscriberKey,
      EmailAddress
FROM _Subscribers
WHERE Status IN ('held', 'unsubscribed', 'bounced');

NOT Operator

Exclude records using NOT:

-- Example: Exclude certain statuses
SELECT
      SubscriberKey,
      EmailAddress
FROM _Subscribers
WHERE Status NOT IN ('held', 'unsubscribed', 'bounced');

CASE Operator in WHERE

Use CASE for conditional filtering:

-- Example: Filter based on Preferred Email
SELECT
      SubscriberKey,
      EmailAddress
FROM MasterSubscriberDE
WHERE
    EmailAddress != CASE
        WHEN PreferredEmail = 'Personal Email' THEN PersonalEmail
        WHEN PreferredEmail = 'Work Email' THEN WorkEmail
    END;

Best Practices

Use IN for multiple values instead of multiple OR statements.
Optimize ranges with BETWEEN, but be cautious with date handling.
Combine AND and OR with parentheses for clarity.

SFMC SQL CASE

The CASE statement in SQL allows you to evaluate a list of conditions and return one of multiple possible results. It is perfect for translating data, standardizing formats, and creating dynamic outputs in Salesforce Marketing Cloud (SFMC).

Basic Example

Translate membership levels:

SELECT
      ContactKey,
      EmailAddress,
      CASE MemberType__c
        WHEN 1 THEN 'Bronze'
        WHEN 2 THEN 'Silver'
        WHEN 3 THEN 'Gold'
        WHEN 4 THEN 'Platinum'
        ELSE 'Unregistered'
      END AS MemberType
FROM MembersDE;

In the above example:

WHEN: Specifies the condition to check.
THEN: Returns the value if the condition is true.
ELSE: (Optional) Returns a default value if no conditions are met.

Search CASE

Build dynamic conditions with Search CASE:

SELECT
      ContactKey,
      EmailAddress,
      CASE
        WHEN IsAppInstalled = 1 THEN 'Push'
        WHEN EmailOptIn = 1 AND EmailAddress IS NOT NULL THEN 'Email'
        WHEN PhoneOptIn = 1 AND Mobile IS NOT NULL THEN 'Phone'
      END AS PreferredChannel
FROM ContactsDE;

Nested CASE

You can nest CASE statements for advanced logic:

SELECT
      ContactKey,
      CASE
        WHEN MemberType = 'Platinum' THEN 'Key Account Manager'
        WHEN MemberType IN ('Gold', 'Silver') THEN
            CASE
              WHEN IsAppInstalled = 1 THEN 'Push'
              WHEN EmailOptIn = 1 AND EmailAddress IS NOT NULL THEN 'Email'
            END
        WHEN MemberType = 'Bronze' THEN
            CASE
              WHEN IsAppInstalled = 1 THEN 'Push'
              WHEN EmailOptIn = 1 AND EmailAddress IS NOT NULL THEN 'Email'
            END
      END AS PreferredChannel
FROM MembersDE;

LIKE in CASE

Use LIKE with CASE for text-based conditions:

SELECT
      ContactKey,
      CASE
        WHEN EmailAddress LIKE '%@company.com' THEN 'Internal'
        ELSE 'External'
      END AS ContactType
FROM _Subscribers;

IIF Shorthand

For simpler conditions, use IIF:

SELECT
      SubscriberKey,
      IIF(Status = 'active', 'TRUE', 'FALSE') AS Sendable
FROM _Subscribers;

Dynamic Values in CASE

Use columns dynamically within CASE or IIF:

SELECT
      SubscriberKey,
      IIF(PreferredChannel = 'Email', EmailAddress, MobileNumber) AS PointOfContact
FROM MasterDE;

Best Practices

Use CASE for complex, multi-condition logic.
Prefer IIF for simple conditions to enhance readability.
Order CASE conditions carefully to prioritize evaluations.
Leverage nested CASE for tiered or hierarchical logic.

SFMC SQL LIKE

The LIKE operator allows you to leverage wildcards and groups to filter records based on value fragments. It is widely used in both SELECT and WHERE statements.

Basic Usage

Match email domains using wildcards:

SELECT
      SubscriberKey,
      EmailAddress
FROM _Subscribers
WHERE EmailAddress LIKE '%@mateuszdabrowski.pl';

This query matches all email addresses ending with @mateuszdabrowski.pl.

Wildcards

%: Matches zero, one, or more characters.
_: Matches exactly one character.

Example with _:

SELECT
      SubscriberKey,
      EmailAddress,
      RecommendedProducts
FROM EcommerceUpsellDE
WHERE RecommendedProducts LIKE '_'
  OR RecommendedProducts LIKE '_,%'
  OR RecommendedProducts LIKE '%,_,%'
  OR RecommendedProducts LIKE '%,_';

Group Operator

The [] group operator allows you to match any character in the group. Example:

SELECT
      SubscriberKey,
      EmailAddress,
      RecommendedProducts
FROM EcommerceUpsellDE
WHERE RecommendedProducts LIKE '[1234]'
  OR RecommendedProducts LIKE '[1234],%'
  OR RecommendedProducts LIKE '%,[1234],%'
  OR RecommendedProducts LIKE '%,[1234]';

Range Operator

Simplify patterns using - for ranges:

SELECT
      SubscriberKey,
      EmailAddress,
      RecommendedProducts
FROM EcommerceUpsellDE
WHERE RecommendedProducts LIKE '[1-4]'
  OR RecommendedProducts LIKE '[1-4],%'
  OR RecommendedProducts LIKE '%,[1-4],%'
  OR RecommendedProducts LIKE '%,[1-4]';

Exclusion Operator

Exclude specific characters using ^:

SELECT
      SubscriberKey
FROM _Subscribers
WHERE SubscriberKey LIKE '%[^a-zA-Z0-9]%'
  AND LEN(SubscriberKey) != 18;

NOT LIKE

Filter records not matching a pattern:

SELECT
      ContactKey,
      CASE
        WHEN EmailAddress NOT LIKE '%@mateuszdabrowski.pl' THEN 'External'
        ELSE 'Internal'
      END AS ContactType
FROM _Subscribers;

SFMC SQL Date Functions

Take control over dates with built-in SQL functions. These functions are essential for manipulating and formatting date values in Salesforce Marketing Cloud (SFMC).

GETDATE & GETUTCDATE

Get the current timestamp:

SELECT GETDATE() AS CurrentDate;

For UTC timestamps:

SELECT GETUTCDATE() AS CurrentUTCDate;

DATEPART

Extract a specific part of a date:

SELECT
      SubscriberKey,
      EmailAddress
FROM Ent._Subscribers
WHERE DATEPART(YEAR, DateJoined) = 2020;

Shortcut examples:

SELECT
      SubscriberKey,
      EmailAddress
FROM Ent._Subscribers
WHERE YEAR(DateJoined) = 2020;

DATENAME

Extract the name of a date part:

SELECT
      SubscriberKey,
      DATENAME(WEEKDAY, DateJoined) AS DayJoined
FROM Ent._Subscribers;

DATEADD

Add or subtract intervals from a date:

SELECT
      GETUTCDATE() AS TrialStartDate,
      DATEADD(DAY, 7, GETUTCDATE()) AS TrialEndDate;

Example with ranges:

SELECT
      SubscriberKey,
      EmailAddress
FROM EventRegistration
WHERE EventDate BETWEEN GETDATE() AND DATEADD(MONTH, 1, GETDATE());

DATEDIFF

Calculate the difference between two dates:

SELECT
      SubscriberKey,
      DATEDIFF(DAY, DateJoined, GETDATE()) AS SubscriptionTime
FROM Ent._Subscribers;

AT TIME ZONE

Add or change timezone information:

SELECT
      CONVERT(DATETIME2(0), '2020-01-01T18:00:00') AT TIME ZONE 'Central Standard Time' AS CST,
      CONVERT(DATETIME2(0), '2020-07-01T18:00:00') AT TIME ZONE 'Central Standard Time' AS CDT;

FORMAT

Format dates for personalization or export:

SELECT
      FORMAT(CONVERT(DATE, '10/30/2020'), 'd', 'en-GB') AS DateOrderedProperly,
      FORMAT(GETUTCDATE(), 'dd/MM/yyyy') AS TodayCustomFormat,
      FORMAT(DateJoined, 'D', 'de-DE') AS DateExpandedIndian;

SFMC SQL Numeric Functions

Take control over numbers with built-in SQL functions. These functions are essential for manipulating and formatting numeric values in Salesforce Marketing Cloud (SFMC).

MIN and MAX

Find the minimum and maximum values:

SELECT MAX(s.BounceCount) AS HighestBounceCount
FROM _Subscribers AS s;

Use case for finding competition winners:

SELECT
      comp.SubscriberKey,
      comp.CompetitionPoints
FROM CompetitionDataExtension AS comp
WHERE
    comp.CompetitionPoints = (
        SELECT MAX(comp2.CompetitionPoints)
        FROM CompetitionDataExtension AS comp2
    );

Debugging data extensions with MAX:

SELECT
      MAX(LEN(c.Id)) AS SubscriberKey,
      MAX(LEN(c.Email)) AS EmailAddress
FROM Contact_Salesforce AS c;

AVG

Calculate the average value:

SELECT AVG(s.BounceCount) AS AverageBounceCount
FROM _Subscribers AS s;

Find average subscriber age (example idea):

SELECT DATEDIFF(MONTH, CONVERT(DATETIME, AVG(CONVERT(FLOAT, DateJoined))), GETDATE()) AS SubscribersAverageAgeInMonths
FROM _Subscribers;

SUM

Calculate the sum of values:

SELECT SUM(BounceCount) AS AllBouncesCount
FROM _Subscribers;

FORMAT with Numbers

Format numeric values:

SELECT
      FORMAT(1234.56, 'N') AS WithoutCustomPrecision,
      FORMAT(1234.56, 'N1') AS RoundedWithCustomPrecision;

Custom formatting example:

SELECT
      FORMAT(CONVERT(BIGINT, ea.MobileNumber), '(###) ### ### ###') AS FormattedPhone
FROM _Subscribers AS s
    INNER JOIN EnterpriseAttribute AS ea
        ON ea._SubscriberID = s.SubscriberID;

Another custom formatting example:

SELECT
      FORMAT(VIPDiscount, 'P') AS StandardFormattedVIPDiscount,
      FORMAT(VIPDiscount, '-00.##%') AS CustomFormattedVIPDiscount
FROM SomeDataExtension;

SFMC SQL Conversion Functions

Break from the limits of source data types. Use SQL conversion functions to transform your values in Salesforce Marketing Cloud.

CAST & CONVERT

CAST

Basic syntax for type conversion:

SELECT SubscriberKey
FROM Ent._Subscribers
WHERE DateJoined > CAST('2020-10-30' AS DATE);

CONVERT

Similar to CAST but with additional features:

SELECT SubscriberKey
FROM Ent._Subscribers
WHERE DateJoined > CONVERT(DATE, '2020-10-30');

Adding style codes for non-standard formats:

SELECT SubscriberKey
FROM _Subscribers
WHERE DateJoined > CONVERT(DATE, '30/10/2019', 103);

Formatting Dates with CONVERT

Examples of formatted output:

SELECT
      CONVERT(NVARCHAR, GETDATE(), 101) AS DateFormat1, /* Output: 10/30/2020 */
      CONVERT(NVARCHAR, GETDATE(), 107) AS DateFormat2  /* Output: Oct 30, 2020 */

Data Types

Commonly used data types in Salesforce Marketing Cloud:

NVARCHAR: Best option for string use cases
DECIMAL: Ideal for precise decimal numbers
INT: Use for integers
DATETIME2: Modern date and time
DATE: For date-only values

Example of specifying precision and scale:

SELECT
      CONVERT(DECIMAL(5, 2), '123.99') AS FullConversion; /* Output: 123.99 */

CONVERT Date Style Codes

Popular date style codes:

101: MM/dd/yyyy
103: dd/MM/yyyy
107: MMM dd, yyyy
120: yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss

Using style codes in queries:

SELECT
      CONVERT(NVARCHAR, GETDATE(), 101) AS DateAsString,
      CONVERT(DATETIME2, '2020-12-31 19:00:00', 120) AS StringAsDate;

Handling Non-Supported Formats

If a date format isn't directly supported:

SELECT
      CONVERT(DATETIME, LEFT('27/12/2021 07:31:01', 10), 103) +
      CONVERT(DATETIME, RIGHT('27/12/2021 07:31:01', 8), 108) AS ConvertedDate;

SQL in Salesforce Marketing Cloud

Develop essential skills for an effective digital marketing strategy with Salesforce Marketing Cloud.

Why SQL Matters in Salesforce Marketing Cloud

A Beginner’s Guide to SQL in SFMC

Practical Example

Advanced SQL Techniques in SFMC

1. JOIN: Combine Data Sources

2. CASE Statements: Conditional Logic

3. Aggregations and Grouping

Overcoming SQL Limitations in SFMC

Real-Life Use Case: Re-Engagement Campaign

SELECT Statement in SFMC SQL

Basic Usage

Aliasing with AS

Concatenating Values

Using the TOP Clause

WITH TIES

DISTINCT for Deduplication

Best Practices

Basic FROM in SFMC SQL

System Data Views

Enterprise Data Extensions

Enterprise System Data Views

Legacy Querying (Deprecated)

Best Practices

SFMC SQL JOIN

Example Query

JOIN Types

Inner Join

Left and Right Joins

Full Join

Self-Join

Union

Intersect

Except

Best Practices

SFMC SQL WHERE

Basic Example

Basic Operators

LIKE Operator

Logical Operators

BETWEEN and IN Shorthands

NOT Operator

CASE Operator in WHERE

Best Practices

SFMC SQL CASE

Basic Example

Search CASE

Nested CASE

LIKE in CASE

IIF Shorthand

Dynamic Values in CASE

Best Practices

SFMC SQL LIKE

Basic Usage

Wildcards

Group Operator

Range Operator

Exclusion Operator

NOT LIKE

SFMC SQL Date Functions

GETDATE & GETUTCDATE

DATEPART

DATENAME

DATEADD

DATEDIFF

AT TIME ZONE

FORMAT

SFMC SQL Numeric Functions

MIN and MAX

AVG

SUM

FORMAT with Numbers

SFMC SQL Conversion Functions

CAST & CONVERT

CAST

CONVERT

Formatting Dates with CONVERT

Data Types

CONVERT Date Style Codes