"Not a valid Teradata SQL token" error when you run outer join queries

• Applies to:

  Access for Office 365, Access 2019, Access 2016, Access 2013

Symptoms

When you use the Teradata ODBC driver 15.10 or a later version to run outer join queries in Microsoft Access, you receive the following error message:

('7B'X) is not a valid Teradata SQL token. (#-3704).

Cause

This issue occurs because Teradata created a new SQL parser that more closely aligns to the SQL-92 standard and does not support extended SQL (escape clauses).

Access does not use the SQL-92 standard for queries that are created within the Query Editor. This causes queries that use outer joins to fail because they use the {oj} escape clause.

Resolution

To fix the issue, use one of the following methods:

Method 1

When you use the Teradata ODBC driver (15.10 or a later version), you can use the EnableLegacyParser option to continue using the previous SQL parser.

Note

Teradata plans to remove the EnableLegacyParser option beginning in driver version 18.

Method 2

Prevent Access from using outer joins in queries, or run outer joins within pass-through queries. For more information, see the following Knowledge Base and Office articles:

• How to create an SQL pass-through query in Access

• Process SQL on a database server by using a pass-through query

Third-party information disclaimer

The third-party products that this article discusses are manufactured by companies that are independent of Microsoft. Microsoft makes no warranty, implied or otherwise, about the performance or reliability of these products.