# phpman > man > CALL(7)

[CALL(7)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/CALL/7/markdown)                            PostgreSQL 14.23 Documentation                            [CALL(7)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/CALL/7/markdown)



## NAME
       CALL - invoke a procedure

## SYNOPSIS
       CALL _name_ ( [ _argument_ ] [, ...] )

## DESCRIPTION
       **CALL** executes a procedure.

       If the procedure has any output parameters, then a result row will be returned, containing
       the values of those parameters.

## PARAMETERS
       _name_
           The name (optionally schema-qualified) of the procedure.

       _argument_
           An argument expression for the procedure call.

           Arguments can include parameter names, using the syntax _name_ => _value_. This works the
           same as in ordinary function calls; see Section 4.3 for details.

           Arguments must be supplied for all procedure parameters that lack defaults, including OUT
           parameters. However, arguments matching OUT parameters are not evaluated, so it's
           customary to just write NULL for them. (Writing something else for an OUT parameter might
           cause compatibility problems with future PostgreSQL versions.)

## NOTES
       The user must have EXECUTE privilege on the procedure in order to be allowed to invoke it.

       To call a function (not a procedure), use **SELECT** instead.

       If **CALL** is executed in a transaction block, then the called procedure cannot execute
       transaction control statements. Transaction control statements are only allowed if **CALL** is
       executed in its own transaction.

       PL/pgSQL handles output parameters in **CALL** commands differently; see Section 43.6.3.

## EXAMPLES
           CALL do_db_maintenance();

## COMPATIBILITY
       **CALL** conforms to the SQL standard, except for the handling of output parameters. The standard
       says that users should write variables to receive the values of output parameters.

## SEE ALSO
       CREATE PROCEDURE (**CREATE**___**[PROCEDURE**(7)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/PROCEDURE/7/markdown))



PostgreSQL 14.23                                2026                                         [CALL(7)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/CALL/7/markdown)