sp_columns (Transact-SQL)
Applies to: 
SQL Server
Azure SQL Database
Azure SQL Managed Instance
Azure Synapse Analytics
Analytics Platform System (PDW)
SQL analytics endpoint in Microsoft Fabric
Warehouse in Microsoft Fabric
Returns column information for the specified objects that can be queried in the current environment.
Transact-SQL syntax conventions
Syntax
sp_columns
[ @table_name = ] N'table_name'
[ , [ @table_owner = ] N'table_owner' ]
[ , [ @table_qualifier = ] N'table_qualifier' ]
[ , [ @column_name = ] N'column_name' ]
[ , [ @ODBCVer = ] ODBCVer ]
[ ; ]
Arguments
[ @table_name = ] N'table_name'
@table_name is nvarchar(384), with no default.
The name of the object that is used to return catalog information. @table_name can be a table, view, or other object that's columns such as table-valued functions. @table_name is nvarchar(384), with no default. Wildcard pattern matching is supported.
[ @table_owner = ] N'table_owner'
The object owner of the object that is used to return catalog information. @table_owner is nvarchar(384), with a default of NULL. Wildcard pattern matching is supported. If @table_owner isn't specified, the default object visibility rules of the underlying DBMS apply.
If the current user owns an object with the specified name, the columns of that object are returned. If @table_owner isn't specified and the current user doesn't own an object with the specified @table_name, sp_columns looks for an object with the specified @table_name owned by the database owner. If one exists, that object's columns are returned.
[ @table_qualifier = ] N'table_qualifier'
@table_qualifier is sysname, with a default of NULL.
The name of the object qualifier. @table_qualifier is sysname, with a default of NULL. Various DBMS products support three-part naming for objects (<qualifier>.<owner>.<name>). In SQL Server, this column represents the database name. In some products, it represents the server name of the object's database environment.
[ @column_name = ] N'column_name'
A single column and is used when only one column of catalog information is wanted. @column_name is nvarchar(384), with a default of NULL. If @column_name isn't specified, all columns are returned. In SQL Server, @column_name represents the column name as listed in the syscolumns table. Wildcard pattern matching is supported. For maximum interoperability, the gateway client should assume only SQL-92 standard pattern matching (the % and _ wildcard characters).
[ @ODBCVer = ] ODBCVer
The version of ODBC that is being used. @ODBCVer is int, with a default of 2. This indicates ODBC Version 2. Valid values are 2 or 3. For the behavior differences between versions 2 and 3, see the ODBC SQLColumns specification.
Return code values
None.
Result set
The sp_columns catalog stored procedure is equivalent to SQLColumns in ODBC. The results returned are ordered by TABLE_QUALIFIER, TABLE_OWNER, and TABLE_NAME.
| Column name | Data type | Description |
|---|---|---|
TABLE_QUALIFIER |
sysname | Object qualifier name. This field can be NULL. |
TABLE_OWNER |
sysname | Object owner name. This field always returns a value. |
TABLE_NAME |
sysname | Object name. This field always returns a value. |
COLUMN_NAME |
sysname | Column name, for each column of the TABLE_NAME returned. This field always returns a value. |
DATA_TYPE |
smallint | Integer code for ODBC data type. If this data type can't be mapped to an ODBC type, it's NULL. The native data type name is returned in the TYPE_NAME column. |
TYPE_NAME |
sysname | String representing a data type. The underlying DBMS presents this data type name. |
PRECISION |
int | Number of significant digits. The return value for the PRECISION column is in base 10. |
LENGTH |
int | Transfer size of the data. 1 |
SCALE |
smallint | Number of digits to the right of the decimal point. |
RADIX |
smallint | Base for numeric data types. |
NULLABLE |
smallint | Specifies nullability.1 = NULL is possible.0 = NOT NULL. |
REMARKS |
varchar(254) | This field always returns NULL. |
COLUMN_DEF |
nvarchar(4000) | Default value of the column. |
SQL_DATA_TYPE |
smallint | Value of the SQL data type as it appears in the TYPE field of the descriptor. This column is the same as the DATA_TYPE column, except for the datetime and SQL-92 interval data types. This column always returns a value. |
SQL_DATETIME_SUB |
smallint | Subtype code for datetime and SQL-92 interval data types. For other data types, this column returns NULL. |
CHAR_OCTET_LENGTH |
int | Maximum length in bytes of a character or integer data type column. For all other data types, this column returns NULL. |
ORDINAL_POSITION |
int | Ordinal position of the column in the object. The first column in the object is 1. This column always returns a value. |
IS_NULLABLE |
varchar(254) | Nullability of the column in the object. ISO rules are followed to determine nullability. An ISO SQL-compliant DBMS can't return an empty string.YES = Column can include NULL.NO = Column can't include NULL.This column returns a zero-length string if nullability is unknown. The value returned for this column is different from the value returned for the NULLABLE column. |
SS_DATA_TYPE |
tinyint | SQL Server data type used by extended stored procedures. For more information, see Data types. |
1 For more information, see ODBC Overview.
Permissions
Requires SELECT and VIEW DEFINITION permissions on the schema.
Remarks
sp_columns follows the requirements for delimited identifiers. For more information, see Database identifiers.
Examples
The Transact-SQL code samples in this article use the AdventureWorks2022 or AdventureWorksDW2022 sample database, which you can download from the Microsoft SQL Server Samples and Community Projects home page.
The following example returns column information for a specified table.
USE AdventureWorks2022;
GO
EXEC sp_columns
@table_name = N'Department',
@table_owner = N'HumanResources';
Examples: Azure Synapse Analytics and Analytics Platform System (PDW)
The following example returns column information for a specified table.
USE AdventureWorksDW2022;
GO
EXEC sp_columns
@table_name = N'DimEmployee',
@table_owner = N'dbo';