ODBC Scalar Functions

Applies To
Access for Microsoft 365 Access 2021 Access 2019 Access 2016

Microsoft Access SQL supports the use of the ODBC defined syntax for scalar functions in a pass-through query that runs on Microsoft SQL Server. For example, to return all rows where the absolute value of the change in the price of a stock was greater than five, use the following query:

SELECT DailyClose, DailyChange FROM DailyQuote
WHERE {fn ABS(DailyChange)} > 5

For a description of the arguments and a complete explanation of the escape syntax for including functions in a SQL statement, see Scalar Functions.

ODBC Scalar functions by category

A subset of the text functions are supported. The following table lists the ODBC Scalar functions and the equivalent Access functions if any.

ODBC Function (ODBC Version) Access Function
ASCII (ODBC 1.0) Asc Function
BIT_LENGTH (3.0) (No equivalent)
CHAR ( ODBC 1.0) Chr Function
CONCAT ( ODBC 1.0) (Use the ampersand (&) character concatenation operator)
DIFFERENCE ( ODBC 2.0) (No equivalent)
INSERT ( ODBC 1.0) (No equivalent)
LCASE ( ODBC 1.0) LCase Function
LEFT ( ODBC 1.0) Left Function
LENGTH ( ODBC 1.0) Len Function
LOCATE ( ODBC 1.0) InStr Function
LTRIM ( ODBC 1.0) LTrim, RTrim, and Trim Functions
OCTET_LENGTH ( ODBC 3.0) (No equivalent function) (No equivalent)
POSITION ( ODBC 3.0) InStr Function
REPEAT ( ODBC 1.0) String Function
REPLACE ( ODBC 1.0) Replace Function
RIGHT ( ODBC 1.0) Right Function
RTRIM ( ODBC 1.0) LTrim, RTrim, and Trim Functions
SOUNDEX ( ODBC 2.0) (No equivalent)
SPACE ( ODBC 2.0) Space Function
SUBSTRING ( ODBC 1.0) Mid Function
UCASE ( ODBC 1.0) UCase Function