Define a Table in SQL Server

Use the SQL Server Table Editor to define the tables in a database in a SQL Server physical model.

To define a table in SQL Server

  1. Click Tables on the Model menu.

    The SQL Server Table Editor opens.

  2. Select the table in the Navigation Grid that you want to define and work with the following options:

    Click New New icon in property editors to create a new object on the toolbar to create a new table. Use the Enter filter text box to filter a very large list of tables to quickly locate the one that you want to define.

    Property

    Description

    Additional Information

    Schema

    		Specifies the schema of the database to which the table belongs 

    External

    		Specifies whether the table is an external table 

    SQL Server Table Type

    		Specifies the type of SQL Server table 
    DurabilitySpecifies whether the table is durable

    SCHEMA_AND_DATA indicates that the table is durable

    SCHEMA_ONLY indicates that the table is non-durable

    Physical OnlySpecifies whether the table is suppressed from a logical model and appears in a physical model only 
    Generate As TypeSpecifies that the table is of the user-defined type 
    GenerateGenerates SQL during forward engineering 
  3. Click the General tab and work with the following options:

    4. Property

    Description

    Additional Information

    Physical Name

    		 Specifies the physical name of the table  
    Filegroup Specifies the file group for the table Not applicable for External Table
    Text Image Specifies that the text, ntext, image, xml, varchar(max), nvarchar(max), varbinary(max), and CLR user-defined type columns are stored in the specified file group Not applicable for External Table
    Change Tracking Specifies whether change tracking is enabled for the table Not applicable for External Table
    Track Columns Updated Specifies whether the database engine tracks which change tracked columns were updated Not applicable for External Table
    Lock Escalation Type Specifies the allowed methods of lock escalation for a table Not applicable for External Table
    Vardecimal Storage Format Specifies whether vardecimal storage is enabled Not applicable for External Table
    Temporal Table Specifies whether the table is a temporal table Not applicable for External Table
    Period Start Column Specifies the column name that the system uses to mark the start of record validity period Not applicable for External Table
    Period End Column Specifies the column name that the system uses to mark the end of record validity period Not applicable for External Table
    History Table Name

    Specifies the name to be used to create a history table in case system versioning of a table is enabled in the following format:

    schema_name.history_table_name

    		 Not applicable for External Table
    Data Consistency Check Specifies whether the data consistency check is enabled to ensure that existing records do not overlap Not applicable for External Table
    External Data Source Specifies the name of the external data source that contains the location of the external data Available only for External Table
    Schema Name Specifies the clause that provides the ability to map the external table definition to a table in a different schema on the remote database Available only for External Table
    Object Name Specifies the clause that provides the ability to map the external table definition to a table with a different name on the remote database Available only for External Table
    Distribution Specifies the data distribution technique for the table Available only for External Table
  4. Work with the other tabs in the editor to access additional design features, for example:
    • Define partition columns in the Partitions tab.
    • Preview the forward engineering script for a table in the SQL tab.
    • Provide the specifications for capturing changes to data stored in a table using the ChangeDataCapture tab.
    • Define how table data is compressed to reduce the amount of storage space it needs using the DataCompression tab.
    • Specify validation rules in the Validation tab.
    • Define table permissions using the Permission tab.
    • Define table volumetrics in the Volumetrics tab.
    • Work with style sheets which are used to format the font and other graphical themes used in the display of the table in the Style tab.
    • Specify the icon style to use for the table in the Icon tab.
    • Specify the order of DDL generation in the Object Creation Order tab.
  5. Click the History tab to view the history information for the entity.
  6. (Optional) Click the Comment tab and enter any comments that you want to associate with the object.
  7. (Optional) Click the Where Used tab to view where the object is used within the model.
  8. (Optional) Click the UDPtab to work with user-defined properties for the object.
  9. (Optional) Click the Notestab to view and edit user notes.
  10. (Optional) Click the Extended Notes tab to view or edit user notes.
  11. Click Close.

    The table is defined and the SQL Server Table Editor closes.

More information:

Define a Partition for a SQL Server Table

Define Data Compression for Tables, Table Indexes, or View Indexes in SQL Server

Define Validation Rule Usage for a SQL Server Table

Define SQL Server Permissions

Define Volumetrics for a SQL Server Table

Define the Style for a Table, View, or Column

Specify the Icon to Display for a Table or View

Change the Object Creation Order for Tables or Views

View the Where Used Information for a Physical Object

Add a Comment in a Property Editor

Add a UDP in a SQL Server Physical Property Editor