I do not have access to MS SQL so I can not test en see if this code works, but you have a running double quote in the line that starts with $url. And I have to agree that is better to use DBI

$mssql_server_name = "server_name";
$url = "http://url"; # <--------- runing doble quote
$userName = "user_name";
$password = "passwd";

$connString = "tsql -H $mssql_server_name -p 1234 -U $userName -P $pas
+sword  -t '\<newrow\>' -o qh \<\< quit\n";

#Query to grab records created 
$cmd = $connString."update [dbname].[record] set record = 7\nGO\nquit\
+n";


$cmd = $connString."select * from [dbname].[record]\nGO\nquit\n";

$result = `$cmd`;

print "RESULT $result\n";
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