This page is a quick reference checkpoint for LEAD in SQL Server: behavior, syntax rules, edge cases, and a minimal example; plus the official vendor documentation.
LEAD returns a value from the next row in the window partition.
LEAD accesses a row at a specified physical offset that follows the current row; default is NULL if offset beyond partition; IGNORE NULLS / RESPECT NULLS supported from SQL Server 2022.
If this behavior feels unintuitive, the tutorial below explains the underlying pattern step-by-step.
LEAD(scalar_expression [, offset [, default ]]) [ IGNORE NULLS | RESPECT NULLS ] OVER ( [ PARTITION BY ... ] ORDER BY ... )
SELECT department, salary, LEAD(salary) OVER (PARTITION BY department ORDER BY salary) AS next_salary FROM employees;
If you came here to confirm syntax, you’re done. If you came here to get better at window functions, choose your next step.
LEAD is part of a bigger window-function pattern. If you want the “why”, start here: Lead Lag
Reading docs is useful. Writing the query correctly under pressure is the skill.
For the authoritative spec, use the vendor docs. This page is the fast “sanity check”.
View SQL Server Documentation →Looking for more functions across all SQL dialects? Visit the full SQL Dialects & Window Functions Documentation.