CREATE TABLE #test(string varchar(55)) INSERT INTO #test VALUES('') ,('') SELECT * FROM #test SELECT SUBSTRING(string,CHARINDEX('CDATA[',string)+6,CHARINDEX(',',string)-CHARINDEX('CDATA[',string)-6) result1 ,SUBSTRING(string,CHARINDEX(',',string)+1,CHARINDEX(']',string)-CHARINDEX(',',string)-1) result2 FROM #test