mssqlserver-137-database-engine-error.md

title	description	author	ms.author	ms.date	ms.service	ms.subservice	ms.topic	helpviewer_keywords
MSSQLSERVER_137	MSSQLSERVER_137	MashaMSFT	mathoma	04/04/2017	sql	supportability	reference	137 (Database Engine error)

MSSQLSERVER_137

[!INCLUDE SQL Server Azure SQL Database Azure SQL Managed Instance]

Details

Attribute	Value
Product Name	SQL Server
Event ID	137
Event Source	MSSQLSERVER
Component	SQLEngine
Symbolic Name	P_SCALAR_VAR_NOTFOUND
Message Text	Must declare the scalar variable "%.*ls".

Explanation

This error occurs when a variable is used in a SQL script without first declaring the variable. The following example returns error 137 for both the SET and SELECT statements because @mycol is not declared.

SET @mycol = 'ContactName';  
  
SELECT @mycol; 

One of the more complicated causes of this error includes the use of a variable that is declared outside the EXECUTE statement. For example, the variable @mycol specified in the SELECT statement is local to the SELECT statement; thus it is outside the EXECUTE statement.

USE AdventureWorks2022;  
  
GO  
  
DECLARE @mycol nvarchar(20);  
  
SET @mycol = 'Name';  
  
EXECUTE ('SELECT @mycol FROM Production.Product;'); 

User Action

Verify that any variables used in a SQL script are declared before being used elsewhere in the script.

Rewrite the script so that it does not reference variables in the EXECUTE statement that are declared outside of it. For example:

USE AdventureWorks2022;  
  
GO  
  
DECLARE @mycol nvarchar(20) ;  
  
SET @mycol = 'Name';  
  
EXECUTE ('SELECT ' + @mycol + ' FROM Production.Product;') ;

See Also

EXECUTE (Transact-SQL)
SET Statements (Transact-SQL)
DECLARE @local_variable (Transact-SQL)