SQL Reference Guide > Understanding the Elements of SQL Statements > SQL Functions
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SQL Functions
Functions can be used in the following SQL statements:
• SELECT
• INSERT
• UPDATE
• DELETE
• WHILE
• IF
Scalar functions take single-value expressions as their argument. These functions can be nested to any level.
Note:  If II_DECIMAL is set to comma, you must follow any comma required in SQL syntax (such as a list of table columns or SQL functions with several parameters) by a space. For example:
SELECT col1, IFNULL(col2, 0), LEFT(col4, 22) FROM version;
Aggregate functions take a set of values (for example, the contents of a column in a table) as their argument. Aggregate functions cannot be used in WHILE or IF statements.
Last modified date: 09/11/2026