title: How can prevent a SQL Server merge using OUTPUT from updating the target table
body: <p>I know how to update a target table from a source table using a SQL server MERGE statement. 
  I know I can capture the changes using an OUTPUT statement. </p>
  
  <p>Problem: When using output statement to capture the changes they are still applied to the target table.</p>
  
  <p>Question: How can I prevent the MERGE statement from updating the target and only capture the output?</p>
  
  <p>Extra info: The goal in this case is not to audit, which is the common OUTPUT statement use in MERGE. The goal is to determine the changes and then do further processing on them that cannot be added to the merge. You could also call it doing a Dry-Run.</p>