Sql Server Project Documentation And Review Complete Guide

Part 1: Documentation

Step 1: Project Overview Document

The first document should give an overview of the entire project.

• Title Page: Include project title, project manager's name, team members, start date, and end date.
• Table of Contents: Outline sections and sub-sections of the document.
• Introduction: Briefly explain the purpose and scope of the project.
• Project Goals: List main goals and objectives.
• Business Requirements: Describe business needs driving the project.

Example:

# Project Overview Document

## Title Page
- **Project Title**: Sales Reporting System
- **Project Manager**: John Doe
- **Team Members**: Jane Smith, Bob Johnson
- **Start Date**: January 5, 2023
- **End Date**: August 31, 2023

## Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Project Goals
3. Business Requirements

## Introduction
This document provides an overview of the Sales Reporting System project aimed at improving reporting functionalities for the sales department in XYZ Corporation.

## Project Goals
- Improve data retrieval speed for sales reports.
- Provide more accurate and comprehensive sales data analysis.
- Implement advanced querying techniques that support complex data requests.

## Business Requirements
- The system must be capable of processing millions of sales records.
- Reporting should cover all regions globally.
- Customizable reports according to business needs.

Step 2: Database Design and Schema Documentation

Document the database structure and schema.

• Physical Schema Diagram: Use tools like Microsoft Visio or SSDT to create diagrams.
• Entity-Relationship (ER) Diagram: Visualize relationships between entities.
• Table Structure: Describe each table with columns, data types, constraints, and indexes.

Example:

# Database Design and Schema Documentation

## Physical Schema Diagram
![Physical Schema Diagram](path-to-image.svg)

## Entity-Relationship (ER) Diagram
![ER Diagram](path-to-image.svg)

## Table Structure
### Customers
- `CustomerID` INT, Primary Key, Identity
- `FirstName` NVARCHAR(50)
- `LastName` NVARCHAR(50)
- `Email` NVARCHAR(100), UNIQUE
- `Phone` NVARCHAR(15)
- `CountryCode` CHAR(3)
- `RegionCode` CHAR(3)
- `Status` CHAR(1) DEFAULT 'A'
- `CreatedOn` DATETIME DEFAULT GETDATE()

### Orders
- `OrderID` INT, Primary Key, Identity
- `CustomerID` INT, Foreign Key
- `OrderDate` DATETIME DEFAULT GETDATE()
- `TotalAmount` MONEY NOT NULL 

### OrderDetails
- `OrderDetailID` INT, Primary Key, Identity
- `OrderID` INT, Foreign Key
- `ProductID` INT
- `Quantity` INT NOT NULL
- `Price` MONEY NOT NULL

Step 3: Queries Documentation

Provide detailed documentation for SQL queries.

• Purpose: Explain the objective of each query.
• Logic: Breakdown the logic and steps involved.
• Inputs/Outputs: Describe parameters and results.
• Performance Considerations: Include performance optimizations and recommendations.

Example:

# Queries Documentation

## Query: Get Total Sales per Product
### Purpose
Retrieve total sales amount per product across orders.

### Logic
- Join Orders and OrderDetails tables.
- Group results by ProductID.
- Sum up TotalAmount for each ProductID.

### Inputs/Outputs
- **Inputs**: None
- **Outputs**: 
  - `ProductID`: The unique identifier for a product.
  - `TotalSalesAmount`: The total sales amount for the product.

### SQL
```sql
SELECT 
    ProductID,
    SUM(TotalAmount) AS TotalSalesAmount
FROM 
    Orders o
JOIN 
    OrderDetails od ON o.OrderID = od.OrderID
GROUP BY 
    ProductID;

Performance Considerations

• Index the ProductID column in both Orders and OrderDetails tables.
• Ensure statistics are up to date for optimal query performance.

#### Step 4: Stored Procedures Documentation
Include stored procedure details.
- **Purpose**: Describe why the stored procedure was created.
- **Parameters**: List input/output parameters.
- **Flow**: Explain the sequence of operations performed.
- **Error Handling**: Describe error handling mechanism if any.
- **Permissions**: Specify user permissions required to execute.
- **SQL Code**: Provide the SQL code along with comments.

**Example**:
```markdown
# Stored Procedures Documentation

## Procedure: pGenerateMonthlySalesReport
### Purpose
Generate a monthly sales report for a given year and month.

### Parameters
- `@Year` INT: Year for which the report is generated.
- `@Month` INT: Month for which the report is generated.

### Flow
1. Validate input parameters.
2. Perform calculations for total sales, number of orders, etc.
3. Insert results into a report table.
4. Return report data.

### Error Handling
- Raises an error if @Year is not within a valid range (1900-2100).
- Raises a generic message for other errors.

### Permissions
- Requires EXEC permissions on the database.

### SQL Code
```sql
CREATE PROCEDURE pGenerateMonthlySalesReport
    @Year INT,
    @Month INT
AS
BEGIN
    IF (@Year < 1900 OR @Year > 2100) OR (@Month < 1 OR @Month > 12)
        RAISERROR('Invalid Year or Month.', 16, 1);

    INSERT INTO SalesMonthlyReports (Year, Month, TotalSalesAmount, NumberOfOrders)
    SELECT 
        @Year AS Year,
        @Month AS Month,
        SUM(od.Quantity * od.Price) AS TotalSalesAmount,
        COUNT(o.OrderID) AS NumberOfOrders
    FROM 
        Orders o
    JOIN 
        OrderDetails od ON o.OrderID = od.OrderID
    WHERE 
        YEAR(o.OrderDate) = @Year AND MONTH(o.OrderDate) = @Month;

    SELECT * FROM SalesMonthlyReports WHERE Year = @Year AND Month = @Month;
END;

#### Step 5: Views Documentation
Describe views used in the project.
- **Purpose**: Explain what the view represents.
- **SQL Code**: Provide the SQL code to define the view.
- **Columns**: Describe each column in the view.

**Example**:
```markdown
# Views Documentation

## View: vSalesSummary
### Purpose
Provides a summary of sales by product, including total quantity sold, average price, and revenue.

### SQL Code
```sql
CREATE VIEW vSalesSummary
AS
SELECT 
    ProductID,
    SUM(Quantity) AS TotalQuantitySold,
    AVG(Price) AS AveragePrice,
    SUM(Quantity * Price) AS Revenue
FROM 
    OrderDetails
GROUP BY 
    ProductID;

Columns

• ProductID: The unique identifier for a product.
• TotalQuantitySold: The total quantity sold per product.
• AveragePrice: The average price per unit of the product.
• Revenue: The total revenue for the product.

#### Step 6: Triggers Documentation
Document triggers used in your project.
- **Purpose**: Describe the trigger's role.
- **Event**: Specify the database event that fires the trigger.
- **Flow**: Explain the flow and operations performed within the trigger.
- **SQL Code**: Provide the SQL code for the trigger.
- **Security**: Mention any security practices or considerations for the trigger.

**Example**:
```markdown
# Triggers Documentation

## Trigger: tSetOrderStatusToShipped
### Purpose
Automatically sets the order status to 'Shipped' when all associated orders have been shipped.

### Event
Fires after an order detail (`OrderStatus`) is updated to 'Shipped'.

### Flow
1. Checks if all details corresponding to the order are marked as 'Shipped'.
2. If true, updates Order record status to 'Shipped'.

### SQL Code
```sql
CREATE TRIGGER tSetOrderStatusToShipped
ON OrderDetails
AFTER UPDATE
AS
BEGIN
    SET NOCOUNT ON;

    UPDATE Orders
    SET Status = 'Shipped'
    WHERE OrderID IN (
        SELECT ORDERID 
        FROM inserted
        GROUP BY OrderID
        HAVING COUNT(CASE WHEN Status = 'Shipped' THEN 1 ELSE NULL END) 
        = COUNT(*)
    );
END;

Security

• No direct user actions will fire this trigger.
• Access controlled at the application level.

#### Step 7: Data Access Layer Documentation
Document how the backend connects to the database.
- **API Methods**: Describe all API methods and what they do.
- **Connection Strings**: Provide necessary connection strings.
- **Error Handling**: Explain error handling within the DAL.
- **Performance Best Practices**: Include caching and connection reuse guidelines.

**Example**:
```markdown
# Data Access Layer Documentation

## API Methods
### Method: GetAllProducts
- **Purpose**: Retrieve all products from the inventory.
- **Parameters**: None
- **Return Value**: Dataset of products.

### SQL Code
```sql
SELECT ProductID, ProductName, Description, Price
FROM Products;

Connection Strings

• Prod Connection String: Server=prodserver;Database=SalesDB;User Id=produser;Password=prodpass;

Error Handling

• Logs exceptions with detailed stack traces to an error log table.
• Returns a standard error response to the client application.

Performance Best Practices

• Enables connection pooling.
• Uses parameterized queries to prevent SQL injection attacks.

#### Step 8: Deployment Documentation
Outline the deployment process and environment details.
- **Environments**: Development, testing, production environments.
- **Steps**: Provide detailed steps for deployment.
- **Backups**: Explain the backup/recovery strategy.
- **Dependencies**: List all dependencies and configuration changes needed.

**Example**:
```markdown
# Deployment Documentation

## Environments
- **Development**: Local machine or dedicated development server.
- **Testing**: Staging environment replicating the production setup.
- **Production**: Live servers with necessary failover and load balancing configurations.

## Steps
1. Create database and restore backup if needed.
2. Run all SQL scripts to initialize schema.
3. Apply stored procedures, functions, triggers, and views.
4. Configure user roles and permissions.
5. Deploy application binaries to web server.
6. Test integration between application and database layers.
7. Monitor application and DB performance post-deployment.

## Backups
- Full backups: Scheduled weekly on Sundays.
- Differential backups: Scheduled daily on weekdays.
- Log backups: Scheduled every hour continuously.
  
## Dependencies
- SQL Server version 2019.
- Application requires .NET Framework 4.8.
- Necessary security patches installed.

Part 2: Code Review Process

Step 9: Review Checkpoints

Establish checkpoints to guide the review process.

• Syntax: Check for proper syntax and coding standards.
• Logic: Examine logic correctness and efficiency.
• Naming Conventions: Adhere to consistent naming conventions.
• Error Handling: Ensure proper error handling.
• Performance: Verify for performance optimizations.
• Comments/Documentation: Include meaningful comments and documentation.

Example:

# Code Review Checkpoints

## Syntax
- Follow the SQL Server guidelines for writing clean, efficient queries.
    
## Logic
- Ensure the queries and stored procedures work as intended. Test edge cases.

## Naming Conventions
- Prefix stored procedures with 'p'.
- Prefix views with 'v'.
- Use descriptive names for variables, tables, and columns.
    
## Error Handling
- Implement error handling using try-catch blocks.
- Raise custom errors indicating the cause and severity of issues.

## Performance
- Optimize queries using indexes, covering indexes, partitioning where necessary.
- Avoid unnecessary joins and aggregations.

## Comments/Documentation
- Add comments for non-obvious sections.
- Update or create documentation if there are significant changes.

Step 10: Review Tools and Checklists

Choose appropriate tools and create checklists for reviews.

• Tools: SQL Prompt, ApexSQL Complete, Redgate SQL Compare, etc.
• Checklists: Document common pitfalls and best practices for reference during reviews.

Example:

# Review Tools and Checklists

## Tools
- **SSDT**: Provides visual design and debugging of databases.
- **SQL Prompt**: Enhances SQL productivity with features like IntelliSense and best practice checks.

## Checklist Items
### General Coding Practices
- Use parameterized queries to prevent SQL injection.
- Avoid using SELECT * in queries; specify only required columns.
- Ensure indexes are appropriately used for optimizing data retrieval.

### Stored Procedures
- Follow the naming convention 'p'.
- Validate input parameters.
- Implement error handling.
- Return results explicitly using OUTPUT parameters or SELECT statements.

### Views
- Use views for commonly executed queries.
- Follow the naming convention 'v'.
- Include only necessary columns.
  
### Triggers
- Ensure all necessary events are handled in triggers.
- Avoid complex or heavy operations in triggers; defer them to stored procedures.
- Follow the naming convention 't'.
- Maintain consistency in error handling across triggers.
  
### Queries
- Avoid writing complex queries; split into multiple parts if needed.
- Optimize for performance using indexes.
- Comment on complex SQL statements or calculations.

Part 3: Execution and Monitoring Documentation

Step 11: Monitoring Strategy Documentation

Outline the monitoring strategy for the SQL Server application.

• Metrics Monitored: CPU usage, memory consumption, disk space, etc.
• Alerts: Define what triggers alerts and their thresholds.
• Logs: Discuss logging mechanisms and how they are managed.

Example:

# Monitoring Strategy Documentation

## Metrics Monitored
- **CPU Usage**: Percentage of CPU utilization.
- **Memory Consumption**: Allocated vs. available memory.
- **Disk Space**: Percentage of disk space utilized on both primary and log disks.

## Alerts
- **High CPU Load**: Alert if CPU usage exceeds 85%.
- **Low Disk Space**: Alert if free disk space is less than 10%.
- **Application Errors**: Alert if application generates more than 5 errors in an hour.

## Logs
- **Error Logs**: Maintains logs of all application and database-level errors.
- **Audit Logs**: Records all user actions and database modifications for auditing purposes.
- **Performance Logs**: Tracks performance metrics over time to identify trends and potential issues.

Step 12: Maintenance and Support Documentation

Provide information on maintenance and support activities.

• Regular Maintenance Tasks: Index rebuilds, statistics update, log management, etc.
• Support Contacts: List contact information for database and application support team.
• Upgrading Guide: Instructions for upgrading to newer versions of SQL Server or related technologies.

Example:

# Maintenance and Support Documentation

## Regular Maintenance Tasks
- **Index Rebuilds**: Rebuild indexes monthly.
- **Statistics Update**: Update statistics weekly.
- **Log Management**: Check and shrink log files when necessary.
- **Backup Management**: Schedule and verify regular backups.
- **Performance Tuning**: Analyze and tune slow-running queries.

## Support Contacts
- **Database Administrator**: John Doe, john.doe@example.com
- **IT Helpdesk**: helpdesk@example.com, Phone: +1 123-456-7890

## Upgrading Guide
### To SQL Server 2022
- Backup and test your current database in a development/staging environment.
- Evaluate compatibility using SQL Server Upgrade Advisor tool.
- Apply recommended changes to the schema and queries based on the evaluation.
- Upgrade to SQL Server 2022 and test thoroughly before going live.

Conclusion

By following these steps, you’ll create comprehensive documentation for your SQL Server project, making it easier to understand, maintain, and extend in the future. Additionally, performing regular code reviews ensures adherence to quality standards and identifies potential issues early in the development lifecycle.