How to set multiple values inside an if else statement?

I'm trying to SET more than one value within the if else statement below, If I set one value it works, but if I set two values, it doesn't work:

DECLARE @test1 varchar(60);
DECLARE @test2 varchar(60);


IF ((SELECT COUNT(*) FROM table WHERE table.Date > '2016-03-20') > 10)
SET @test1 = 'test1'
SET @test2 = 'test2' 
ELSE
SET @test1 = 'testelse'
SET @test2 = 'testelse'

>Error message: "Msg 156, Level 15, State 1, Line 9
>Incorrect syntax near the keyword 'ELSE'."

However it seems to be possible to have multiple SET variables after the else; this code works:

IF ((SELECT COUNT(*) FROM table WHERE table.Date > '2016-03-20') > 10)
SET @test1 = 'test1'
ELSE
SET @test1 = 'testelse'
SET @test2 = 'testelse'

How can I do this correctly?

If you have more than one statement in a if condition, you must use the BEGIN ... END block to encapsulate them.

IF ((SELECT COUNT(*) FROM table WHERE table.Date > '2016-03-20') > 10)
BEGIN
 SET @test1 = 'test1'
 SET @test2 = 'test2' 
END
ELSE
BEGIN
 SET @test1 = 'testelse'
 SET @test2 = 'testelse'
END

Use BEGIN and END to mark a multi-statement block of code, much like using { and } in other languages, in which you can place your multiple SET statements...

IF ((SELECT COUNT(*) FROM table WHERE table.Date > '2016-03-20') > 10)
BEGIN
    SET @test1 = 'test1'
    SET @test2 = 'test2'
END
ELSE
BEGIN
    SET @test1 = 'testelse'
    SET @test2 = 'testelse'
END

Or, use SELECT to assign values to your variables, allowing both to be assigned in a single statement and so avoid requiring the use of BEGIN and END.

IF ((SELECT COUNT(*) FROM table WHERE table.Date > '2016-03-20') > 10)
    SELECT
        @test1 = 'test1',
        @test2 = 'test2' 
ELSE
    SELECT
        @test1 = 'testelse',
        @test2 = 'testelse'

If you have multiple statements after the IF you have to use begin and end (similar to accolades in c#, for example).

IF ((SELECT COUNT(*) FROM table WHERE table.Date > '2016-03-20') > 10)
BEGIN
   SET @test1 = 'test1'
   SET @test2 = 'test2' 
END
ELSE
BEGIN
   SET @test1 = 'testelse'
   SET @test2 = 'testelse'
END

The behavior makes sense since your first trial will be split like this:

IF ((SELECT COUNT(*) FROM table WHERE table.Date > '2016-03-20') > 10)
SET @test1 = 'test1'

SET @test2 = 'test2' 

ELSE
   SET @test1 = 'testelse'

and ELSE will fail since it does not belong to any IF statement.

Consider doing like this:

IF ((SELECT COUNT(*) FROM table WHERE table.Date > '2016-03-20') > 10)
BEGIN
   SET @test1 = 'test1'
   SET @test2 = 'test2' 
END
ELSE
BEGIN 
   SET @test1 = 'testelse'
   SET @test2 = 'testelse'
END

The second expression in your question will always result execute @test2 = 'testelse' because the ELSE ends right after the first expression after the else:

IF ((SELECT COUNT(*) FROM table WHERE table.Date > '2016-03-20') > 10)
SET @test1 = 'test1'
ELSE
SET @test1 = 'testelse'
-- IF is done evaluating here
SET @test2 = 'testelse' 

If you have multiple expressions within the IF, you can always group the expressions using BEGIN / END.

But in your case, the most simple way would be this:

IF (SELECT COUNT(*) FROM table WHERE table.Date > '2016-03-20') > 10
  SELECT @test1 = 'test1', @test2 = 'test2' 
ELSE
  SELECT @test1 = 'testelse', @test2 = 'testelse'