How to fix Error 11725 on Windows Server 2025 / Windows 11

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Troubleshooting Guide: SQL Server Error 11725

Why This Error Happens

This error occurs because SQL Server does not allow the NEXT VALUE FOR function—used to retrieve a value from a sequence object—to be nested directly inside an aggregate function such as SUM(), AVG(), COUNT(), or MAX(). The SQL Server query optimizer cannot guarantee deterministic sequence allocation when it is evaluated as part of an aggregate calculation, since the order and number of times the expression is evaluated becomes ambiguous. This is a T-SQL syntax and engine limitation rather than a configuration, permissions, or networking issue, meaning it will persist regardless of server resources or security settings until the query logic itself is rewritten.

Step-by-Step Resolution Guide

Step 1: Identify the Offending Query

  • Open SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) or Azure Data Studio and locate the exact query that triggered Error 11725 in the Messages pane or the Windows Event Viewer under Applications and Services Logs > MSSQLSERVER.
  • Search the query text for any instance of NEXT VALUE FOR [SchemaName].[SequenceName] positioned inside aggregate parentheses, e.g., SUM(NEXT VALUE FOR dbo.MySequence).
  • Confirm the sequence object exists by running:
  SELECT * FROM sys.sequences WHERE name = 'MySequence';

Step 2: Refactor the Query Using a Derived Table or CTE

  • Separate the NEXT VALUE FOR call from the aggregate function by first generating the sequence values in a subquery, derived table, or Common Table Expression (CTE), then applying the aggregate afterward.
  • Example fix:
  WITH SeqValues AS (
      SELECT NEXT VALUE FOR dbo.MySequence AS SeqVal
      FROM dbo.SourceTable
  )
  SELECT SUM(SeqVal) FROM SeqValues;
  • Avoid placing NEXT VALUE FOR inside GROUP BY, HAVING, or windowed aggregate clauses, as these will trigger the same restriction.

Step 3: Update Application Code and Stored Procedures

  • Search all stored procedures, views, and application-embedded SQL (e.g., in C#, Python, or PowerShell scripts) for similar aggregate patterns using a text search tool like grep or SSMS’s Object Explorer > Generate Scripts feature.
  • Modify affected stored procedures using ALTER PROCEDURE and redeploy them to the Windows Server 2025 instance.
  • If using Entity Framework or another ORM, ensure LINQ queries are not auto-generating T-SQL that nests NEXT VALUE FOR inside aggregate calls—use raw SQL execution via FromSqlRaw() as a workaround if needed.

Step 4: Test in a Non-Production Environment

  • Deploy the corrected query or stored procedure to a staging instance of SQL Server 2025 running on Windows 11 or Windows Server 2025.
  • Execute the query multiple times to confirm sequence values increment correctly without triggering Error 11725.

Alternative or Verification Steps

  • Run the corrected query in SSMS and confirm it executes successfully without Error 11725, then check sys.sequences to verify the current_value has incremented as expected.
  • As an alternative, if refactoring is not immediately feasible, use an intermediate temporary table (#TempSeq) to capture NEXT VALUE FOR results first, then perform aggregation on the temp table in a separate batch.