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sp_help_jobstep (Transact-SQL)

  • Article

Applies to: SQL Server

Returns information for the steps in a job used by SQL Server Agent service to perform automated activities.

Transact-SQL syntax conventions

Syntax

sp_help_jobstep
    [ [ @job_id = ] 'job_id' ]
    [ , [ @job_name = ] N'job_name' ]
    [ , [ @step_id = ] step_id ]
    [ , [ @step_name = ] N'step_name' ]
    [ , [ @suffix = ] suffix ]
[ ; ]

Arguments

[ @job_id = ] 'job_id'

The job identification number for which to return job information. @job_id is uniqueidentifier, with a default of NULL.

Either @job_id or @job_name must be specified, but both can't be specified.

[ @job_name = ] N'job_name'

The name of the job. @job_name is sysname, with a default of NULL.

Either @job_id or @job_name must be specified, but both can't be specified.

[ @step_id = ] step_id

The identification number of the step in the job. If not included, all steps in the job are included. @step_id is int, with a default of NULL.

[ @step_name = ] N'step_name'

The name of the step in the job. @step_name is sysname, with a default of NULL.

[ @suffix = ] suffix

A flag indicating whether a text description is appended to the flags column in the output. @suffix is bit, with a default of 0. If @suffix is 1, a description is appended.

Return code values

0 (success) or 1 (failure).

Result set

Column name Data type Description
step_id int Unique identifier for the step.
step_name sysname Name of the step in the job.
subsystem nvarchar(40) Subsystem in which to execute the step command.
command nvarchar(max) Command executed in the step.
flags int A bitmask of values that control step behavior.
cmdexec_success_code int For a CmdExec step, this value is the process exit code of a successful command.
on_success_action tinyint Action to take if the step succeeds:

1 = Quit the job reporting success.
2 = Quit the job reporting failure.
3 = Go to the next step.
4 = Go to step.
on_success_step_id int If on_success_action is 4, this value indicates the next step to execute.
on_fail_action tinyint What to do if the step fails. Values are same as on_success_action.
on_fail_step_id int If on_fail_action is 4, this value indicates the next step to execute.
server sysname Reserved.
database_name sysname For a Transact-SQL step, this value is the database in which the command executes.
database_user_name sysname For a Transact-SQL step, this value is the database user context in which the command executes.
retry_attempts int Maximum number of times the command should be retried (if it's unsuccessful).
retry_interval int Interval (in minutes) for any retry attempts.
os_run_priority int Reserved.
output_file_name nvarchar(200) File to which command output should be written (Transact-SQL, CmdExec, and PowerShell steps only).
last_run_outcome int Outcome of the step the last time it ran:

0 = Failed
1 = Succeeded
2 = Retry
3 = Canceled
5 = Unknown
last_run_duration int Duration (hhmmss) of the step the last time it ran.
last_run_retries int Number of times the command was retried the last time the step ran.
last_run_date int Date the step last started execution.
last_run_time int Time the step last started execution.
proxy_id int Proxy for the job step.

Remarks

sp_help_jobstep is in the msdb database.

Permissions

You can grant EXECUTE permissions on this procedure, but these permissions might be overridden during a SQL Server upgrade.

Other users must be granted one of the following SQL Server Agent fixed database roles in the msdb database:

  • SQLAgentUserRole
  • SQLAgentReaderRole
  • SQLAgentOperatorRole

For details about the permissions of these roles, see SQL Server Agent Fixed Database Roles.

Members of SQLAgentUserRole can only view job steps for jobs that they own.

Examples

A. Return information for all steps in a specific job

The following example returns all the job steps for the job named Weekly Sales Data Backup.

USE msdb;
GO

EXEC dbo.sp_help_jobstep
    @job_name = N'Weekly Sales Data Backup';
GO

B. Return information about a specific job step

The following example returns information about the first job step for the job named Weekly Sales Data Backup.

USE msdb;
GO

EXEC dbo.sp_help_jobstep
    @job_name = N'Weekly Sales Data Backup',
    @step_id = 1;
GO

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