Set-DbaAgentJobStep

Synopsis

Modifies properties of existing SQL Agent job steps or creates new ones with Force parameter.

Description

Modifies SQL Agent job step properties including commands, subsystems, retry logic, success/failure actions, and execution context. Updates existing job steps by name or creates new steps when using the -Force parameter, eliminating the need to manually edit job steps through SSMS.

Common use cases include changing job step commands during deployments, updating database contexts when moving jobs between environments, modifying retry settings for intermittent failures, and adjusting success/failure flow logic. The function supports all major subsystems including T-SQL, PowerShell, SSIS, CmdExec, and Analysis Services commands.

Note: ActiveScripting (ActiveX scripting) was discontinued in SQL Server 2016: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/database-engine/discontinued-database-engine-functionality-in-sql-server

Syntax

Set-DbaAgentJobStep
    [[-SqlInstance] <DbaInstanceParameter[]>]
    [[-SqlCredential] <PSCredential>]
    [[-Job] <Object[]>]
    [[-StepName] <String>]
    [[-NewName] <String>]
    [[-Subsystem] <String>]
    [[-SubsystemServer] <String>]
    [[-Command] <String>]
    [[-CmdExecSuccessCode] <Int32>]
    [[-OnSuccessAction] <String>]
    [[-OnSuccessStepId] <Int32>]
    [[-OnFailAction] <String>]
    [[-OnFailStepId] <Int32>]
    [[-Database] <String>]
    [[-DatabaseUser] <String>]
    [[-RetryAttempts] <Int32>]
    [[-RetryInterval] <Int32>]
    [[-OutputFileName] <String>]
    [[-Flag] <String[]>]
    [[-ProxyName] <String>]
    [[-InputObject] <Server[]>]
    [-EnableException]
    [-Force]
    [-WhatIf]
    [-Confirm]
    [<CommonParameters>]

Examples

Example: 1

PS C:\> Set-DbaAgentJobStep -SqlInstance sql1 -Job Job1 -StepName Step1 -NewName Step2

Changes the name of the step in “Job1” with the name Step1 to Step2

Example: 2

PS C:\> Set-DbaAgentJobStep -SqlInstance sql1 -Job Job1 -StepName Step1 -Database msdb

Changes the database of the step in “Job1” with the name Step1 to msdb

Example: 3

PS C:\> Set-DbaAgentJobStep -SqlInstance sql1 -Job Job1, Job2 -StepName Step1 -Database msdb

Changes job steps in multiple jobs with the name Step1 to msdb

Example: 4

PS C:\> Set-DbaAgentJobStep -SqlInstance sql1, sql2, sql3 -Job Job1, Job2 -StepName Step1 -Database msdb

Changes job steps in multiple jobs on multiple servers with the name Step1 to msdb

Example: 5

PS C:\> Set-DbaAgentJobStep -SqlInstance sql1, sql2, sql3 -Job Job1 -StepName Step1 -Database msdb

Changes the database of the step in “Job1” with the name Step1 to msdb for multiple servers

Example: 6

PS C:\> sql1, sql2, sql3 | Set-DbaAgentJobStep -Job Job1 -StepName Step1 -Database msdb

Changes the database of the step in “Job1” with the name Step1 to msdb for multiple servers using pipeline

Example: 7

PS C:\> $jobStep = @{

SqlInstance = sqldev01
Job = dbatools1
StepName = “Step 2”
Subsystem = “CmdExec”
Command = “enter command text here”
CmdExecSuccessCode = 0
OnSuccessAction = “GoToStep”
OnSuccessStepId = 1
OnFailAction = “GoToStep”
OnFailStepId = 1
Database = TestDB
RetryAttempts = 2
RetryInterval = 5
OutputFileName = “logCmdExec.txt”
Flag = [Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Smo.Agent.JobStepFlags]::AppendAllCmdExecOutputToJobHistory
ProxyName = “dbatoolsci_proxy_1”
Force = $true
}

PS C:\> $newJobStep = Set-DbaAgentJobStep @jobStep

Updates or creates a new job step named Step 2 in the dbatools1 job on the sqldev01 instance. The subsystem is set to CmdExec and uses a proxy.

Optional Parameters

-SqlInstance

The target SQL Server instance or instances. You must have sysadmin access and server version must be SQL Server version 2000 or greater.

-SqlCredential

Login to the target instance using alternative credentials. Accepts PowerShell credentials (Get-Credential).
Windows Authentication, SQL Server Authentication, Active Directory - Password, and Active Directory - Integrated are all supported.
For MFA support, please use Connect-DbaInstance.

-Job

The name of the job or the job object itself.

-StepName

The name of the step.

-NewName

The new name for the step in case it needs to be renamed.

-Subsystem

The subsystem used by the SQL Server Agent service to execute command.
Allowed values ‘ActiveScripting’,‘AnalysisCommand’,‘AnalysisQuery’,‘CmdExec’,‘Distribution’,‘LogReader’,‘Merge’,‘PowerShell’,‘QueueReader’,‘Snapshot’,‘Ssis’,‘TransactSql’

-SubsystemServer

The subsystems AnalysisScripting, AnalysisCommand, AnalysisQuery require a server.

-Command

The commands to be executed by the SQLServerAgent service through the subsystem.

-CmdExecSuccessCode

The value returned by a CmdExec subsystem command to indicate that command executed successfully.

-OnSuccessAction

The action to perform if the step succeeds.
Allowed values “QuitWithSuccess” (default), “QuitWithFailure”, “GoToNextStep”, “GoToStep”.
The text value van either be lowercase, uppercase or something in between as long as the text is correct.

-OnSuccessStepId

The ID of the step in this job to execute if the step succeeds and OnSuccessAction is “GoToNextStep”.

-OnFailAction

The action to perform if the step fails.
Allowed values “QuitWithFailure” (default), “QuitWithSuccess”, “GoToNextStep”, “GoToStep”.
The text value van either be lowercase, uppercase or something in between as long as the text is correct.

-OnFailStepId

The ID of the step in this job to execute if the step fails and OnFailAction is “GoToNextStep”.

-Database

The name of the database in which to execute a Transact-SQL step.

-DatabaseUser

The name of the user account to use when executing a Transact-SQL step.

-RetryAttempts

The number of retry attempts to use if this step fails.

-RetryInterval

The amount of time in minutes between retry attempts.

-OutputFileName

The name of the file in which the output of this step is saved.

-Flag

Sets the flag(s) for the job step.
Flag Description

AppendAllCmdExecOutputToJobHistory Job history, including command output, is appended to the job history file.
AppendToJobHistory Job history is appended to the job history file.
AppendToLogFile Job history is appended to the SQL Server log file.
AppendToTableLog Job history is appended to a log table.
LogToTableWithOverwrite Job history is written to a log table, overwriting previous contents.
None Job history is not appended to a file.
ProvideStopProcessEvent Job processing is stopped.

-ProxyName

The name of the proxy that the job step runs as.

-InputObject

Allows pipeline input from Connect-DbaInstance.

-EnableException

By default, when something goes wrong we try to catch it, interpret it and give you a friendly warning message.
This avoids overwhelming you with “sea of red” exceptions, but is inconvenient because it basically disables advanced scripting.
Using this switch turns this “nice by default” feature off and enables you to catch exceptions with your own try/catch.

-Force

The force parameter will ignore some errors in the parameters and assume defaults.

-WhatIf

Shows what would happen if the command were to run. No actions are actually performed.

-Confirm

Prompts you for confirmation before executing any changing operations within the command.