🔍 SQL ANY_VALUE() Function – Return Any Non-Aggregated Value Without GROUP BY Errors

When working with aggregate functions in SQL (like SUM(), AVG(), COUNT()), you often group data using GROUP BY. But what if you want to include a non-aggregated column in the SELECT list without causing errors?

This is where the ANY_VALUE() function becomes very handy.

✅ What is SQL ANY_VALUE()?

The ANY_VALUE() function allows you to return any arbitrary value from a column within a group, without requiring that the value be part of the GROUP BY clause.

It tells the SQL engine:

“I don’t care which value you pick — just grab any!”

💡 Why Use ANY_VALUE()?

In standard SQL, when using GROUP BY, all columns in the SELECT clause must either be in the GROUP BY clause or wrapped in an aggregate function. Otherwise, you’ll face an error.

ANY_VALUE() provides a solution when:

You want to avoid unnecessary grouping
The column’s value is the same within a group (e.g., a product name)
You’re okay with returning an arbitrary value

🔧 Syntax

ANY_VALUE(expression)

expression: The column or value you want to return from the group

🧪 ANY_VALUE() Example

Example: Return Any Employee Name Per Department

SELECT department_id,
       COUNT(*) AS total_employees,
       ANY_VALUE(employee_name) AS sample_employee
FROM employees
GROUP BY department_id;

🔍 Explanation:

department_id is grouped
employee_name isn’t part of the GROUP BY clause
Using ANY_VALUE() prevents SQL errors and returns any name from the group

📌 When to Use ANY_VALUE()

When a grouped column always has the same value
When you’re building reports and only need a “sample” or representative row
When you want to prevent MySQL’s ONLY_FULL_GROUP_BY error

⚠️ Important Notes

ANY_VALUE() does not guarantee a consistent result every time. The value it returns is non-deterministic unless there’s only one value in the group.
It’s mostly supported in MySQL, MariaDB, and Google BigQuery.
Not supported in some versions of SQL Server or Oracle.

🧠 Real-World Use Cases

Show a random order ID per customer while counting total orders
Display any product name in a sales category summary
Pick a city name when summarizing revenue by region

🚀 Performance Tips

Since ANY_VALUE() doesn’t sort or filter, it’s faster than functions like MIN() or MAX() when exact values don’t matter.
Best used when you’re sure the values in the column are the same across the group.

📝 Summary

Feature	Details
Function Name	`ANY_VALUE()`
Purpose	Return a non-aggregated value in grouped query
Common Use Case	Avoid ONLY_FULL_GROUP_BY errors
Supported Databases	MySQL, BigQuery, MariaDB
Caution	Non-deterministic; result can vary

ANY_VALUE Function