How do I put an 'if clause' in an SQL string?

Question

For your specific query, you can do:

UPDATE purchaseOrder
    SET purchaseOrder_status = 'COMPLETED'
    WHERE purchaseOrder_ID = '@purchaseOrder_ID' and
          not exists (SELECT *
                      FROM itemsOrdered WHERE purchaseOrder_ID = '@purchaseOrdered_ID' AND status = 'PENDING'
                     )

However, I might guess that you are looping at a higher level. To set all such values, try this:

UPDATE purchaseOrder
    SET purchaseOrder_status = 'COMPLETED'
    WHERE not exists (SELECT 1
                      FROM itemsOrdered
                      WHERE itemsOrdered.purchaseOrder_ID = purchaseOrder.purchaseOrdered_ID AND
                            status = 'PENDING'
                      limit 1
                     )

You can use the multiple-table UPDATE syntax to effect an ANTI-JOIN between purchaseOrder and itemsOrdered:

UPDATE purchaseOrder p LEFT JOIN itemsOrdered i
    ON p.purchaseOrder_ID = i.purchaseOrder_ID
   AND i.status = 'PENDING'
SET    p.purchaseOrder_status = 'COMPLETED'
WHERE  p.purchaseOrder_ID = '@purchaseOrder_ID'
   AND i.purchaseOrder_ID IS NULL

Since MySQL doesn't support if exists(*Your condition*) (*Write your query*), you can achieve an 'if clause' by writing like this:

(*Write your insert or update query*) where not exists (*Your condition*)

You can also use the following query to check if the record exists and then update it:

if not exists(select top 1 fromFROM itemsOrdered
    WHERE purchaseOrder_ID = '@purchaseOrdered_ID'
        AND status = 'PENDING' )
Begin

UPDATE purchaseOrder 
    SET purchaseOrder_status = 'COMPLETED'
    WHERE purchaseOrder_ID = '@purchaseOrder_ID

End

Select FROM t1
    WHERE s11 > ANY
        (SELECT col1,col2 FROM t2
            WHERE NOT EXISTS
                (SELECT * FROM t3
                    WHERE ROW(5*t2.s1,77)=
                        (SELECT 50,11*s1 FROM t4 UNION SELECT 50,77 FROM
                            (SELECT * FROM t5) AS t5)));

if not exists(select top 1 fromFROM itemsOrdered
    WHERE purchaseOrder_ID = '@purchaseOrdered_ID'
        AND status = 'PENDING' )
Begin

UPDATE purchaseOrder 
    SET purchaseOrder_status = 'COMPLETED'
    WHERE purchaseOrder_ID = '@purchaseOrder_ID

End

after sql server 2008 provide Merge to insert,update and delete operation based on single match statement, also that allows you to join. below sample example might be helps you.

MERGE Target AS T
USING Source AS S
ON (T.EmployeeID = S.EmployeeID) 
WHEN NOT MATCHED BY TARGET AND S.EmployeeName LIKE 'S%' 
    THEN INSERT(EmployeeID, EmployeeName) VALUES(S.EmployeeID, S.EmployeeName)
WHEN MATCHED 
    THEN UPDATE SET T.EmployeeName = S.EmployeeName
WHEN NOT MATCHED BY SOURCE AND T.EmployeeName LIKE 'S%'
    THEN DELETE 
OUTPUT $action, inserted.*, deleted.*;

like this you can insert, update and delete in one statements.

and for more information you can refer official documents on https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb522522(v=sql.105).aspx