Functions and Stored Procedures: Which Should I Use?

SQL Server user-defined functions and stored procedures offer similar functionality. Both allow you to create bundles of SQL statements that are stored on the server for future use. This offers you a tremendous efficiency benefit, as you can save programming time by:

• Reusing code from one program to another, cutting down on program development time


• Hiding the SQL details, allowing database developers to worry about SQL and application developers to deal only in higher-level languages


• Centralize maintenance, allowing you to make business logic changes in a single place that automatically affect all dependent applications