---
title: "mysql set random value on column"
date: "2011-09-13"
modified: "2013-03-04"
path: "/70-mysql-set-random-value-on-column.html"
section: "/ramblings"
aliases:
  - "/70"
  - "/70-mysql-set-random-value-on-column"
  - "/70.html"
  - "/ramblings/70-mysql-set-random-value-on-column.html"
---

Useful blog post from [Gareth Price](http://www.garethsprice.com/blog/2011/mysql-set-column-random-numbers/) on a one-line MySQL query for creating a random value in a column, in our case we needed 500-2000 values:

```
UPDATE job_rma SET cntloops = CAST((RAND() * 2000)+500 AS UNSIGNED);
```