MSSQL Data Dictionary Generator - Overview
Channel: DataResearchLabs
Date: 2021-10-20

This Data Dictionary Generator tool is easier and faster to use than scripts to easily document an existing database schema. You can dump the tables, views, column descriptions, data types/lengths/sizes/precision, key constraints, and other information. Results can be instantly exported to CSV, Excel, or even PDF. You can generate just the comments script for tables and columns for you to edit and run, then put under source control. You can output the SQL script used to generate the data dictionary for you own use embedding into your systems and tools.


------- Chapter Timestamps (click to jump forward): -----------------------------
 0:00 - Intro
 0:14 - A quick graphical overview
 1:18 - How do I use this tool?
 1:40 - Step 1: Select SQL Server connection
 2:44 - Step 2: Select database and tables
 4:51 - Step 3: Select options
 5:15 - Step 4: Select output
 7:36 - Exit, About, and Error Log
 8:03 - The End



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* What: A free, simple utility for generating data dictionaries as CSV, Excel, or PDF files. Bonus: generates comment scripts and data dictionary scripts for you to modify and run as needed.
* Level Set: A "Data Dictionary" is simply a list of tables and views, their column properties such as name, ordinal position, data type/length/size/precision, allows nulls, and of course the column description. A good data dictionary also indicates which columns are a part of a primary key, foreign key, or unique key.
* Why: Data dictionaries can be used to train new employees how your system is setup. They can be used as a baseline for new projects, an "as-built" set of documentation from which to start. They can be used as close-out documentation to wrap-up a project and push it out into Excel on a wiki or Sharepoint, etc.
* How: Download and run .accde file. From there, click open and follow the Wizard steps to run the job against a SQL Server database of your choice. The appropriate output you selected will popup in Notepad, or Excel, or Acrobat Reader.
* Who: Built as a standalone tool for individual data analysts, systems analysts, ,software test engineers, or similar folks.
* Where: On a desktop or laptop. Requires Microsoft Access 365. Yep, it is a VBA application, read here for why
* License: Creative Commons Zero, effectively public domain. Free to use. Free to copy. Free to alter. Free to distribute.


- Download Application: https://github.com/DataResearchLabs/data_analysts_toolbox/blob/main/data_dictionary_generator/mssql/download/mssql_data_dict_gen.accde
- Download Source Code: https://github.com/DataResearchLabs/data_analysts_toolbox/blob/main/data_dictionary_generator/mssql/src/mssql_data_dict_gen.accdb
- github: https://github.com/DataResearchLabs/data_analysts_toolbox/tree/main/data_dictionary_generator


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#MSSQL #DataDictionary