DEV Community

Cover image for SSIS tips: How to use expressions and variables
Daniel ZS
Daniel ZS

Posted on

SSIS tips: How to use expressions and variables

#ssis #expressions #zappysys #sqlserver

Introduction

SSIS Expressions are essential for building flexible, dynamic ETL workflows. They let you update task properties, variables, or connection strings at runtime — based on logic, data, or environment conditions.

Common use cases for SSIS Expressions

  • Dynamically generate file names using the current date and time
  • Set API URLs based on variables or configuration
  • Control task execution using boolean conditions
  • Format dates, convert data types, and implement conditional logic

Example: Format the current date as dd-mm-yyyy

Here’s how to format the system date using SSIS expression syntax:

RIGHT("0" + (DT_STR, 2, 1252) DATEPART("dd", GETDATE()), 2)
+ "-" +
RIGHT("0" + (DT_STR, 2, 1252) DATEPART("mm", GETDATE()), 2)
+ "-" +
(DT_STR, 4, 1252) DATEPART("yy", GETDATE())
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

This will produce results like:
13-06-2025

Where to use expressions in SSIS

You can apply expressions to almost any property in your SSIS package:

  • Task and container properties (e.g. DelayValidation, FileName)
  • Variable values
  • Connection strings
  • Conditional precedence constraints

Use the Expression Builder to test and apply these expressions inside the SSIS Designer.

Want more examples?

Explore real-world scenarios, functions, and syntax tips in this detailed guide:
👉 SSIS Expressions — Introduction and Examples

Top comments (0)