以下のようなことをやっても特に問題はなかった。
create table TEST (YMD VARCHAR(8));
insert into TEST values ('20150101');
insert into TEST values ('20150102');
insert into TEST values ('20150103');
insert into TEST values ('20160101');
insert into TEST values ('20160102');
insert into TEST values ('99999999');
begin
-- 取引先コードの更新
declare crList cursor for select distinct substring(YMD, 1, 4) as GRP from TEST;
open crList;
declare @GRP varchar(99);
fetch next from crList into @GRP;
while @@fetch_status = 0
begin
-- ●更新sql
update TEST set YMD = 'UPDATE' where YMD like @GRP + '%';
fetch next from crList into @GRP;
end;
close crList;
deallocate crList;
end;