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# SQL collation

[Command Centre Databases (SQL)](broken://pages/cCfAltV0RyZ60G9YuhuO) › SQL Collation

## This page answers

* Can you change the collation on the Command Centre database?
* What happens if you do?
* Why does collation matter?

> **Recommendation:** Gallagher strongly advises against any collation changes to the Command Centre database.

* During upgrades, Command Centre **overrides any custom collation** with its default configuration of `Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS`.
* Changing collation manually requires dropping and restoring multiple types of constraints, which introduces significant risk and complexity.
* The process is not supported and may lead to data integrity issues or upgrade failures.
* For example, do **not** use `Finnish_Swedish_CI_AS` on the Command Centre database. It may suit other applications on the same SQL instance, but Command Centre's upgrade process will override it with its own default collation.

Sites operating on shared SQL Server instances should apply localization settings to their own databases if needed, but **must not modify Command Centre's collation**.

***

## Why collation matters (technical background)

In SQL Server, collation defines how text is compared (`=`, `<>`, `LIKE`, joins), sorted (`ORDER BY`), indexed (string index order and uniqueness), and interpreted (case, accent, language rules). At the server level it becomes the default for `master`, `model`, `msdb`, `tempdb`, system views and metadata, temporary tables and variables, and any new database created without an explicit collation override. Server collation is not cosmetic; it leaks into every database interaction, including cross-database joins and temp-table usage.

Breaking down the common default `SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS`:

| Component        | Meaning                         | Practical impact                      |
| ---------------- | ------------------------------- | ------------------------------------- |
| `SQL_`           | SQL Server collation (legacy)   | Backward-compatible behaviour         |
| `Latin1_General` | Western European language rules | Predictable A-Z ordering              |
| `CP1`            | Code Page 1252                  | English + Western European characters |
| `CI`             | Case-Insensitive                | `ABC = abc`                           |
| `AS`             | Accent-Sensitive                | `e is not é`                          |

Changing to a foreign-language collation alters sorting and equality semantics, can cause cross-database and temp-table collation-conflict errors (for example, `Cannot resolve the collation conflict between "Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS" and "Modern_Spanish_CI_AS"`), can change index uniqueness meaning (allowing or blocking values that previously behaved differently), and changing the *server* collation is effectively a reinstall-grade operation (rebuild system databases, drop and recreate user databases, reload all data). Best practice for vendor products: keep server collation stable and handle language needs at the database, column, or query (`COLLATE`) level.

***

🔗 **Related**

* [Databases - An Overview of Command Centre and SQL](/knowledge-hub/products/cc-software/configure/databases-an-overview-of-command-centr.md). SQL instances and shared-instance guidance.
* [Databases - Considerations](/knowledge-hub/products/cc-software/configure/databases-an-overview-of-command-centr/databases-considerations.md). Planning SQL versions across an upgrade.


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