I received the following error when I was attempting to compare columns in a SQL query between two tables located in two separate databases. In this case, the collation settings between the two databases were configured differently. Rather make any changes to the databases, I was able to apply a simple fix to my SQL query: In fact even when I changed the Collation in the Database it still did not Join!

ORIGINAL QUERY –

SELECT        TOP (100) PERCENT dbo.MyLoans.LoanNumber AS [Loan Number], LoansDW.dbo.TAP.BorrFirstName AS [PB First], LoansDW.dbo.TAP.BorrLastName AS [PB Last]

FROM            EncompassDW.dbo.TAP RIGHT OUTER JOIN

                         dbo.FiveStarLoans ON LoansDW.dbo.TAP.LoanNumber = dbo.FiveStarLoans.LoanNumber 

ORDER BY [Loan Number]

FIX –

Simply apply the default collation to the fields you are comparing.

SELECT        TOP (100) PERCENT dbo.MyLoans.LoanNumber AS [Loan Number], LoansDW.dbo.TAP.BorrFirstName AS [PB First], LoansDW.dbo.TAP.BorrLastName AS [PB Last]

FROM            EncompassDW.dbo.TAP RIGHT OUTER JOIN

                         dbo.FiveStarLoans ON LoansDW.dbo.TAP.LoanNumber = dbo.FiveStarLoans.LoanNumber COLLATE DATABASE_DEFAULT

ORDER BY [Loan Number]