What datatype should be used for storing phone numbers in SQL Server 2005?
Solution 1:
Does this include:
- International numbers?
- Extensions?
- Other information besides the actual number (like "ask for bobby")?
If all of these are no, I would use a 10 char field and strip out all non-numeric data. If the first is a yes and the other two are no, I'd use two varchar(50) fields, one for the original input and one with all non-numeric data striped and used for indexing. If 2 or 3 are yes, I think I'd do two fields and some kind of crazy parser to determine what is extension or other data and deal with it appropriately. Of course you could avoid the 2nd column by doing something with the index where it strips out the extra characters when creating the index, but I'd just make a second column and probably do the stripping of characters with a trigger.
Update: to address the AJAX issue, it may not be as bad as you think. If this is realistically the main way anything is done to the table, store only the digits in a secondary column as I said, and then make the index for that column the clustered one.
Solution 2:
We use varchar(15) and certainly index on that field.
The reason being is that International standards can support up to 15 digits
Wikipedia - Telephone Number Formats
If you do support International numbers, I recommend the separate storage of a World Zone Code or Country Code to better filter queries by so that you do not find yourself parsing and checking the length of your phone number fields to limit the returned calls to USA for example
Solution 3:
Use CHAR(10) if you are storing US Phone numbers only. Remove everything but the digits.
Solution 4:
I'm probably missing the obvious here, but wouldn't a varchar just long enough for your longest expected phone number work well?
If I am missing something obvious, I'd love it if someone would point it out...
Solution 5:
I would use a varchar(22). Big enough to hold a north american phone number with extension. You would want to strip out all the nasty '(', ')', '-' characters, or just parse them all into one uniform format.
Alex