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In SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS), the Template Explorer is a handy tool that often goes unnoticed. It provides SQL script templates that can speed up query writing, especially for routine tasks. However, when you first install SSMS, the Template Explorer isn’t preloaded with templates. You need to activate it to access the default templates. Additionally, customizing it with your own script templates can enhance your workflow.
In this blog post, I’ll guide you on enabling the SSMS Template Explorer, revealing its default SQL script templates, and incorporating your personal folder of custom scripts. Let’s optimize SSMS for our needs!
Now, let me guide you through the process with these detailed steps:
- Open SQL Server Management Studio.
- From the menu bar, click on
View
. - From the dropdown menu, select
Template Explorer
. This will open the Template Explorer on the right side of the SSMS window.
- In the Template Explorer, you’ll see a folder named
SQL Server Templates
with various sub-folders categorized by purpose (e.g.,Change Tracking
,Full-Text Search
, etc.). - Click on any of the sub-folders to reveal the SQL templates within.
- Double-clicking a template will open it in a new query window.
- Navigate to the location on your computer where SSMS stores the templates. Typically, this path is:
C:\Users\<YourUsername>\Documents\SQL Server Management Studio\Templates\Sql
- Inside the
Sql
directory, create a new folder. You can name it something likePersonal Scripts
or any other preferred name. - Copy and paste your custom SQL script files into this folder.
- Return to SSMS. If you don’t immediately see your new folder in the Template Explorer, right-click on the
SQL Server Templates
folder and chooseRefresh
.
- Once you’ve added your personal scripts to the Template Explorer, you can use them just like the default templates.
- Navigate to your custom folder, double-click on a script, and it will open in a new query window, ready for use.