temporal-table-metadata-views-and-functions.md

title	Temporal table metadata views and functions
description	A list of temporal table metadata views and functions.
author	rwestMSFT
ms.author	randolphwest
ms.date	07/29/2024
ms.service	sql
ms.subservice	table-view-index
ms.topic	concept-article
ms.custom	ignite-2025
monikerRange	=azuresqldb-current || >=sql-server-2016 || >=sql-server-linux-2017 || =azuresqldb-mi-current || =fabric-sqldb

Temporal table metadata views and functions

[!INCLUDE sqlserver2016-asdb-asdbmi-fabricsqldb]

[!INCLUDE ssnoversion] and [!INCLUDE sssds] include several metabase views and functions to enable administrators to retrieve information about temporal tables.

Information about temporal tables is exposed in the following metadata views:

• sys.tables
• sys.columns
• sys.periods

Information about temporal tables is exposed in the following metadata functions:

• OBJECTPROPERTY
• OBJECTPROPERTYEX
• COLUMNPROPERTY

Related content

• Temporal tables
• Get started with system-versioned temporal tables
• Temporal table system consistency checks
• Partition with temporal tables
• Temporal table considerations and limitations
• Temporal table security
• Manage retention of historical data in system-versioned temporal tables
• System-versioned temporal tables with memory-optimized tables