Subqueries cannot be used in the expression <expression>. (Error 3203)

  • Article

The specified expression contains a subquery or other expression that functions as a subquery.

Possible cause:

  • You used a SELECT statement that includes an aggregate function that evaluates another aggregate function. This error occurs, for example, if you execute the following statement:

    

    TRANSFORM Sum([OrderAmount]) AS Sum1


      SELECT Sum([Sum1]) AS Sum2, OrderID, Sum([Sum2]) AS Expr1

      FROM Orders

      GROUP BY OrderID

      PIVOT ShipName;
    The \<*expression*\> parameter of the alert would contain the expression 
      Sum([Sum2])
    from the SELECT clause, because this references an alias used in the same SELECT statement and acts as a subquery against 
      Sum([Sum1])
    .