SQL Server Table Not Using Default Value

Question

I am populating a table using an SSIS package.

The idea is that whenever the package uploads to the table, it will timestamp the value using getdate().

My DDL looks like this when I open it up:

CREATE TABLE [REPORTING].[post_ssis_table_1](
    [validation_key] [int] IDENTITY(1,1) NOT NULL,
    [ssis_ran_date] [datetime] NULL,
    [server_name] [varchar](255) NULL,
    [data_base] [varchar](255) NULL,
--A bunch of other irrelevant columns
    [success_status] [varchar](255) NULL,
    [success_criteria] [varchar](255) NULL,
PRIMARY KEY CLUSTERED 
(
    [validation_key] ASC
)WITH (PAD_INDEX = OFF, STATISTICS_NORECOMPUTE = OFF, IGNORE_DUP_KEY = OFF, ALLOW_ROW_LOCKS = ON, ALLOW_PAGE_LOCKS = ON) ON [PRIMARY]
) ON [PRIMARY]

GO

ALTER TABLE [REPORTING].[post_ssis_tbl_1] ADD  DEFAULT (getdate()) FOR [ssis_ran_date]
GO

Note: I did not type the alter statement, that's literally what it looks like when I open up the DDL.

Why is the default value not populating for [ssis_ran_date] when I insert rows? It literally just stays null.

Answer 1

If your INSERT statement specifies NULL for a column with a default, then NULL will get inserted.

The default will only be used when that column is not specified in the INSERT at all.