There are seemingly a lot of very diversive naming convention recommendations for sql server objects. I was wondering if there are some formal guidelines other than not prefixing stored procedures with sp_ ?
As pointed out by Matt, there is already a similar question: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/7662/database-table-and-column-naming-conventions , so please vote for closing this one (I don't understand why I can't close my own question?!?).
I normally just use a prefix using the first three letters of the table I'm working in for all items (i.e. empID).
i use usp for sprocs, udf for functions, vw for views and trig for triggers. i don't use anything for tables.
this isn't necessary and some don't reccomend it but this way i keep the grouping of the same objects if i'm querying sysobjects or similar.
Although it's probably not necessary, I prefix some object types:
tr_ for triggers
fn_ for user defined functions
There are not a lot of the above and the prefix makes them easier to find in the source.
For tables and stored procedures, and most views, I use a prefix that indicates the business area of the object. For example in my current project
dal_ for CRUD select, insert, delete
ac_ accounting functions
rep_ for reports
se_ security
...
and so on. Makes it easier to find a stored procedure or to know the purpose of a table.
Well I used to use tblTableName, vwViewName, spStoredProcedure fldFieldName. Now after having worked with Databases for some time, I find the tbl, vw, and fld unnecessary extra characters to type.
I do stick with the spStoredProcedure though, not sure why but it's pretty easy to type spSomething.
For tables, I now name them with something descriptive and the same for fields. I generally use lowercase for the first word and then uppercase on the first letter of the second word.
ie: employeeRecords, spGetEmployees, etc.