Real SQL Queries: 50 Challenges

Sharpen your T-SQL Skills with Real-World Practice.

Practice is most effective when the challenges feel real, and that’s the driving force behind Real SQL Queries: 50 Challenges. This book delivers practical, business-focused problems drawn from the scenarios analysts face daily. You’ll sharpen your skills with realistic data questions spanning sales, marketing, HR, purchasing, and production. Whether you're an analyst, report writer, or anyone looking for a hands-on way to master SQL Server queries, Real SQL Queries gives you the experience that textbooks and tutorials leave out.

Why this Book?

✅ Get Started Quickly. All challenges are based on AdventureWorks2022, Microsoft’s universally accessible sample database. AdventureWorks is free to download and intuitive to explore.
✅ Solve Real Problems. Studying concepts is useful, but nothing accelerates skill faster than a hands-on, problem-solving approach.
✅ Learn by Example. Each solution is fully documented, often showcasing multiple approaches to build versatility in your SQL problem-solving.
✅ Progress at Your Pace. Challenges are organized into three difficulty levels, helping you grow from foundational techniques to advanced concepts.
✅ Discover New Techniques. Explore diverse functions and methods that broaden your perspective on how to approach SQL queries.

Preview of Challenges to Solve (questions abridged)

☑️ Year over Year Comparisons: An executive requests data concerning fiscal quarter sales by salesperson. She'd like to see comparisons from the fiscal quarters of 2014 to the same fiscal quarters of 2013.
☑️ Ten Million Dollar Benchmark: Ten million dollars of revenue is a common benchmark for Adventure Works. For each fiscal year, find the first dates when the cumulative running revenue total hit $10 million.
☑️ Expired Credit Cards: The Accounting department found instances where expired credit cards were used with sales orders. You are asked to examine all credit cards and report the extent of such activity.
☑️ The Mentors: The VP of Sales wants the five most successful salespeople to mentor the five least successful salespeople. Create a list of salespeople to match one another.
☑️ The Classic Vest: Rumors about the Classic Vest are floating throughout the purchasing department. Some people say it has been overordered....help by providing the facts.
☑️ Employment Survey: Adventure Works is participating in a third-party employment survey among bicycle manufacturers. The Human Resources department asks you to help prepare data to submit.
☑️ Tradeshow Giveaway: Adventure Works is participating in an upcoming trade show and plans to engage attendees with a raffle. Visitors who leave their business cards can win a bundle of products. Assist by finding a combination of three products that cost less than $120 in total. The objective is to get as close to the $120 budget as possible without exceeding it.
☑️ Similar Products: Create a report to aid salespeople. The report will display information about similar, less
expensive products to suggest.

📌 This book focuses on T-SQL for Microsoft SQL Server and is incompatible with MySQL, PostgreSQL, Oracle, or other database platforms.
📌 All questions are based on AdventureWorks2022, Microsoft's free sample SQL database. A download link is provided on the book’s supporting website.
📌 Solutions to all challenge questions are included in the book and available for free download.