SQL Server 2008 - False error for "Msg 8120"? - sql-server

Question

I am writing a query in SQL Server 2008 (Express I believe?). I am currently getting this error:
Msg 8120, Level 16, State 1, Line 16
Column 'AIM.dbo.AggTicket.TotDirectHrs' is invalid in the select list because it is not contained in either an aggregate function or the GROUP BY clause.
I am trying to do a historical analysis of our production WIP (Work In Process).
I have created a standalone calendar table (actually located in a separate database called BAS on the same server to not interfere with the ERP that operates the AIM database). I've been overwhelmed for days with some of the examples for creating running total queries/views/tables, so for now I'll just plan on taking care of that part inside of Crystal Reports 2016. My thinking was that I wanted to return records for each order each day of my calendar table (to be narrowed down in the future to only days that match records in the AIM database). The values I think I will need are:
Record Date (not unique)
Order Number (unique for each day)
Estimated hours for the job
The total number of hours worked on the job current as of today's date (in case the estimated hours were drastically underbudgeted)
The SUM of the direct labor hours charged to the job on said record date
The COUNT of the number of employees in attendance on said record date.
The SUM of the hours attended by employees on said record date.
The tables I use are as follows:
BAS Database:
dbo.DateDimension - Used for complete calendar of dates from 1/1/1987 to 12/31/2036
AIM Database:
dbo.AggAttend - Contains one or more records for each employee's attendance duration on a given date (i.e. One record for each punch-in / punch-out. Should be equal to indirect + direct labor)
dbo.AggTicket - Contains one or more records for each employee's direct labor duration charged to a particular order number
dbo.ModOrders - Contains one record for each order including the estimated hours, start date, and end date (I will worry about using the start and end dates later for figuring out how many available hours there were on each date)
Here is the code I'm using in my query:
;WITH OrderTots AS
(
SELECT
AggTicket.OrderNo,
SUM(AggTicket.TotDirectHrs) AS TotActHrs
FROM
AIM.dbo.AggTicket
GROUP BY
AggTicket.OrderNo
)
SELECT
d.Date,
t.OrderNo,
o.EstHrs,
OrderTots.TotActHrs,
SUM(t.TotDirectHrs) OVER (PARTITION BY t.TicketDate) AS DaysDirectHrs,
COUNT(a.EmplCode) AS NumEmployees,
SUM(a.TotHrs) AS DaysAttendHrs
FROM
BAS.dbo.DateDimension d
INNER JOIN
AIM.dbo.AggAttend a ON d.Date = a.TicketDate
LEFT OUTER JOIN
AIM.dbo.AggTicket t ON d.Date = t.TicketDate
LEFT OUTER JOIN
AIM.dbo.ModOrders o ON t.OrderNo = o.OrderNo
LEFT OUTER JOIN
OrderTots ON t.OrderNo = OrderTots.OrderNo
GROUP BY
d.Date, t.TicketDate, t.OrderNo, o.EstHrs,
OrderTots.TotActHrs
ORDER BY
d.Date
When I run that query in SQL Server Management Studio 2017, I get the above error.
These are my questions for the community:
Does this error message correctly describe an error in my code?
If so, why is that error an error? (To the best of my knowledge, everything is already contained in either an aggregate function or in the GROUP BY clause...smh)
What is a better way to write this query so that it will function?
Much appreciation to everyone in advance!

Answer 1

I am writing a query in SQL Server 2008 (Express I believe?).
SELECT ##VERSION Will let you know what version you are on.
Column 'AIM.dbo.AggTicket.TotDirectHrs' is invalid in the select list
because it is not contained in either an aggregate function or the
GROUP BY clause.
The problem is with your SUM OVER() statement:
SUM(t.TotDirectHrs) OVER (PARTITION BY t.TicketDate) AS DaysDirectHrs
Here, since you are using the OVER clause, you must include it in the GROUP BY. The OVER clause is used to determine the partitioning and order of a row-set for a window function. So, while you are using an aggregate with SUM you are doing this in a window function. Window functions belong to a type of function known as a 'set function', which means a function that applies to a set of rows. The word 'window' is used to refer to the set of rows that the function works on.
Thus, add t.TotDirectHrs to the GROUP BY
GROUP BY
d.Date, t.TicketDate, t.OrderNo, o.EstHrs,
OrderTots.TotActHrs, t.TotDirectHrs
If this narrows your results into a grouping that you don't want, then you can wrap it in another CTE or use a correlated sub-query. Potentially like the below:
(SELECT SUM(t2.TotDirectHrs) OVER (PARTITION BY t2.TicketDate) AS DaysDirectHrs FROM AIM.dbo.AggTicket t2 WHERE t2.TicketDate = t.TicketDate) as DaysDirectHrs,
EXAMPLE
if object_id('tempdb..#test') is not null
drop table #test
create table #test(id int identity(1,1), letter char(1))
insert into #test
values
('a'),
('b'),
('b'),
('c'),
('c'),
('c')
Given the data set above, suppose we wanted to get a count of all rows. That's simple right?
select
TheCount = count(*)
from
#test
+----------+
| TheCount |
+----------+
| 6 |
+----------+
Here, no GROUP BY is needed because it's implied to group over all columns since no columns are specified in the SELECT list. Remember, GROUP BY groups the SELECT statement results according to the values in a list of one or more column expressions. If aggregate functions are included in the SELECT list, GROUP BY calculates a summary value for each group. These are known as vector aggregates.[MSDN].
Now, suppose we wanted to count each letter in the table. We could do that at least two ways. Using COUNT(*) with the letter column in the select list--or using COUNT(letter) with the letter column in the select list. However, in order for us to attribute the count with the letter, we need to return the letter column. Thus, we must include letter in the GROUP BY to tell SQL Server what to apply the summary table to.
select
letter
,TheCount = count(*)
from
#test
group by
letter
+--------+----------+
| letter | TheCount |
+--------+----------+
| a | 1 |
| b | 2 |
| c | 3 |
+--------+----------+
Now, what if we wanted to return this same count, but we wanted to return all rows as well? This is where window functions come in. The window function works similar to GROUP BY in this case by telling SQL Server the set of rows to apply the aggregate to. Then, it's value is returned for for every row in this window / partition. Thus, it returns a column which is applied to every row making it just like any column or calculated column which is returned form the select list.
select
letter
,TheCountOfTheLetter = count(*) over (partition by letter)
from
#test
+--------+---------------------+
| letter | TheCountOfTheLetter |
+--------+---------------------+
| a | 1 |
| b | 2 |
| b | 2 |
| c | 3 |
| c | 3 |
| c | 3 |
+--------+---------------------+
Now we get to your case where you want to use an aggregate and an aggregate in a window function. Remember that the return of the window function is treated like any other column, thus must be applied in the GROUP BY. Pseudo would look something like this, but window functions aren't allowed in the GROUP BY clause.
select
letter
,TheCount = count(*)
,TheCountOfTheLetter = count(*) over (partition by letter)
from
#test
group by
letter
,count(*) over (partition by letter)
--returns an error
Thus, we must a correlated sub-query or a cte or some other method.
select
t.letter
,TheCount = count(*)
,TheCountOfTheLetter = (select distinct count(*) over (partition by letter) from #test t2 where t2.letter = t.letter)
from
#test t
group by
t.letter
+--------+----------+---------------------+
| letter | TheCount | TheCountOfTheLetter |
+--------+----------+---------------------+
| a | 1 | 1 |
| b | 2 | 2 |
| c | 3 | 3 |
+--------+----------+---------------------+