---
title: "VW_DATASET_COLUMNS"
slug: "vw-dataset-columns"
updated: 2026-06-16T21:41:18Z
published: 2026-06-16T21:41:18Z
canonical: "docs.validatar.com/vw-dataset-columns"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.validatar.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# VW_DATASET_COLUMNS

## Overview

`VW_DATASET_COLUMNS` provides detailed information about every column across all metadata tables in your Validatar environment. Each row represents one column and includes its data type, position, custom field values, and the full suite of column-level profile metrics (null counts, distinct counts, min/max values, distribution stats, and more).

This view is essential for data quality reporting, profiling dashboards, and column-level governance.

## Schema

### Identity Columns

| Column | Type | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| COLUMN_ID | NUMBER | Unique identifier for the column |
| COLUMN_NAME | VARCHAR | Name of the column |
| COLUMN_KEY | VARCHAR | Composite key in format `c.<COLUMN_ID>` |
| TABLE_ID | NUMBER | ID of the parent table |
| TABLE_NAME | VARCHAR | Name of the parent table |
| TABLE_KEY | VARCHAR | Parent table key (`t.<TABLE_ID>`) |
| TABLE_TYPE_ID | NUMBER | Type code of the parent table |
| TABLE_TYPE_NAME | VARCHAR | "Table" or "View" |
| SCHEMA_ID | NUMBER | ID of the schema |
| SCHEMA_NAME | VARCHAR | Name of the schema |
| DATA_SOURCE_ID | NUMBER | ID of the data source |
| DATA_SOURCE_NAME | VARCHAR | Name of the data source |
| FULL_PATH | VARCHAR | Fully qualified: `<schema>.<table>.<column>` |

### Column Metadata

| Column | Type | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| SEQUENCE | NUMBER | Ordinal position of the column in the table |
| DATA_TYPE | VARCHAR | Native data type as reported by the source system |
| MAPPED_TYPE_ID | NUMBER | Validatar's internal mapped type ID |
| MAPPED_TYPE_NAME | VARCHAR | Validatar's mapped type name (e.g., "Integer", "String", "Date") |
| IS_NULLABLE | BOOLEAN | Whether the column allows NULLs |
| IS_IDENTITY | BOOLEAN | Whether the column is an identity/auto-increment |
| IS_PRIMARY_KEY | BOOLEAN | Whether the column is part of the primary key |
| STRING_MAX_LENGTH | NUMBER | Maximum string length (string types only) |
| NUMERIC_PRECISION | NUMBER | Numeric precision (numeric types only) |
| NUMERIC_SCALE | NUMBER | Numeric scale (numeric types only) |
| DATE_TIME_PRECISION | NUMBER | Datetime precision |
| COMMENT | VARCHAR | Column comment from the source system |

### Date Columns

| Column | Type | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| DATE_FIRST_SEEN | TIMESTAMP | When Validatar first discovered this column |
| DATE_MODIFIED | TIMESTAMP | Last modification date |
| DATE_FIRST_PROFILED | TIMESTAMP | First profiling execution |
| DATE_LAST_PROFILED | TIMESTAMP | Most recent profiling execution |
| DATE_LAST_REFRESHED | TIMESTAMP | Last schema metadata refresh |

### Custom Field Columns

Common custom columns (varies by environment):

| Column | Description |
| --- | --- |
| CUSTOM_FRIENDLY_NAME | User-assigned friendly name |
| CUSTOM_DESCRIPTION | User-assigned description |
| CUSTOM_COLUMN_TAGS | Comma-separated tags |
| CUSTOM_COLUMN_ROLE | Business role (e.g., "Business Key", "Surrogate Key", "Measure") |
| CUSTOM_FOREIGN_KEY_REFERENCE | Foreign key reference notation |
| CUSTOM_SENSITIVITY_LEVEL | Data sensitivity classification |
| CUSTOM_FIELD_FORMAT | Expected format pattern |
| CUSTOM_ENABLE_COLUMN_DQM_TESTS | Whether DQM tests are enabled |
| CUSTOM_PII_DETECTION_TAGS | PII detection results |

### Profile Metrics — Counts and Percentages

| Column | Type | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PROFILE_DISTINCT_COUNT | DECIMAL | Number of distinct values |
| PROFILE_DISTINCT_PERCENT | DECIMAL | Distinct values as percentage of total rows |
| PROFILE_NULL_COUNT | DECIMAL | Number of NULL values |
| PROFILE_NULL_PERCENT | DECIMAL | NULL values as percentage of total rows |
| PROFILE_BLANK_COUNT | DECIMAL | Number of blank/empty string values |
| PROFILE_BLANK_PERCENT | DECIMAL | Blank values as percentage |
| PROFILE_NUMERIC_COUNT | DECIMAL | Count of values that are numeric |
| PROFILE_NUMERIC_PERCENT | DECIMAL | Numeric values as percentage |
| PROFILE_ZERO_COUNT | DECIMAL | Count of zero values |
| PROFILE_ZERO_PERCENT | DECIMAL | Zero values as percentage |
| PROFILE_NEGATIVE_COUNT | DECIMAL | Count of negative values |
| PROFILE_NEGATIVE_PERCENT | DECIMAL | Negative values as percentage |

### Profile Metrics — Value Statistics

| Column | Type | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PROFILE_MOST_COMMON_VALUE | VARCHAR | Most frequently occurring value |
| PROFILE_MOST_COMMON_COUNT | DECIMAL | Frequency of the most common value |
| PROFILE_MIN_NUMERIC | DECIMAL | Minimum numeric value |
| PROFILE_MAX_NUMERIC | DECIMAL | Maximum numeric value |
| PROFILE_MEAN_NUMERIC | DECIMAL | Mean (average) numeric value |
| PROFILE_MEDIAN_NUMERIC | DECIMAL | Median numeric value |
| PROFILE_LOWER_QUARTILE | DECIMAL | 25th percentile value |
| PROFILE_UPPER_QUARTILE | DECIMAL | 75th percentile value |
| PROFILE_STANDARD_DEVIATION | DECIMAL | Standard deviation |
| PROFILE_STDDEV_LARGE | DECIMAL | Population standard deviation |
| PROFILE_MIN_STRING | VARCHAR | Minimum string value (alphabetical) |
| PROFILE_MAX_STRING | VARCHAR | Maximum string value (alphabetical) |
| PROFILE_MIN_LENGTH | DECIMAL | Shortest string length |
| PROFILE_MAX_LENGTH | DECIMAL | Longest string length |
| PROFILE_MEAN_LENGTH | DECIMAL | Average string length |
| PROFILE_MIN_DATE | TIMESTAMP | Earliest date value |
| PROFILE_MAX_DATE | TIMESTAMP | Latest date value |
| PROFILE_LONGEST_VALUE | VARCHAR | The longest actual value |
| PROFILE_SHORTEST_VALUE | VARCHAR | The shortest actual value |

### Profile Metrics — Checksums

| Column | Type | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PROFILE_SUM_CHECKSUM_COLUMN | DECIMAL | Sum-based checksum for change detection |
| PROFILE_SUM_DISTINCT_CHECKSUM_COLUMN | DECIMAL | Distinct-value checksum |

### Generated Profile Display Columns

| Column | Type | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| GEN_PROFILE_MIN_VALUE | VARCHAR | Coalesced min value (numeric, string, or date) |
| GEN_PROFILE_MAX_VALUE | VARCHAR | Coalesced max value (numeric, string, or date) |
| GEN_PROFILE_NULL_DISPLAY | VARCHAR | Formatted null display: `<count> (<percent>%)` |
| GEN_PROFILE_DISTINCT_DISPLAY | VARCHAR | Formatted distinct display: `<count> (<percent>%)` |
| GEN_PROFILE_MOST_COMMON_DISPLAY | VARCHAR | Formatted: `<value> (<count>)` |

## Relationships

```
VW_DATASET_COLUMNS
    │
    ├── TABLE_ID → VW_DATASET_TABLES.TABLE_ID (many-to-one)
    ├── COLUMN_KEY → VW_DATASET_TESTS.TEST_PRIMARY_METADATA_LINK_OBJECT_KEY
    ├── COLUMN_KEY → VW_DATASET_METADATA_OBJECTS.OBJECT_KEY
    └── DATA_SOURCE_ID → VW_SECURE_USER_DATA_SOURCE_ACCESS.META_DATA_SOURCE_ID
```

## Example Queries

### Find Columns with High Null Percentages

```
SELECT
    DATA_SOURCE_NAME,
    FULL_PATH,
    PROFILE_NULL_PERCENT,
    PROFILE_NULL_COUNT,
    IS_NULLABLE
FROM REPOSITORY.VW_DATASET_COLUMNS
WHERE PROFILE_NULL_PERCENT > 50
ORDER BY PROFILE_NULL_PERCENT DESC;
```

### Column Profile Summary for a Specific Table

```
SELECT
    COLUMN_NAME,
    DATA_TYPE,
    MAPPED_TYPE_NAME,
    GEN_PROFILE_MIN_VALUE,
    GEN_PROFILE_MAX_VALUE,
    GEN_PROFILE_NULL_DISPLAY,
    GEN_PROFILE_DISTINCT_DISPLAY,
    GEN_PROFILE_MOST_COMMON_DISPLAY
FROM REPOSITORY.VW_DATASET_COLUMNS
WHERE TABLE_NAME = 'DIM_CUSTOMER'
    AND SCHEMA_NAME = 'PUBLIC'
ORDER BY SEQUENCE;
```

### Columns Where Values Exceed Expectations

```
SELECT
    FULL_PATH,
    PROFILE_MAX_NUMERIC,
    CUSTOM_EXPECTATION_MAXIMUM_MAX_VALUE,
    PROFILE_MIN_NUMERIC,
    CUSTOM_EXPECTATION_MINIMUM_MIN_VALUE
FROM REPOSITORY.VW_DATASET_COLUMNS
WHERE (CUSTOM_EXPECTATION_MAXIMUM_MAX_VALUE IS NOT NULL
       AND PROFILE_MAX_NUMERIC > TRY_CAST(CUSTOM_EXPECTATION_MAXIMUM_MAX_VALUE AS DECIMAL(38,8)))
   OR (CUSTOM_EXPECTATION_MINIMUM_MIN_VALUE IS NOT NULL
       AND PROFILE_MIN_NUMERIC < TRY_CAST(CUSTOM_EXPECTATION_MINIMUM_MIN_VALUE AS DECIMAL(38,8)));
```

### PII Detection Summary

```
SELECT
    DATA_SOURCE_NAME,
    TABLE_NAME,
    COLUMN_NAME,
    CUSTOM_PII_DETECTION_TAGS,
    CUSTOM_SENSITIVITY_LEVEL
FROM REPOSITORY.VW_DATASET_COLUMNS
WHERE CUSTOM_PII_DETECTION_TAGS IS NOT NULL
ORDER BY DATA_SOURCE_NAME, TABLE_NAME, SEQUENCE;
```

## Databricks Notes

- Replace `TRY_CAST(x AS DECIMAL(38,8))` with `TRY_CAST(x AS DECIMAL(38,8))` (same syntax)
- Profile percentage columns are already multiplied by 100 in the view (e.g., 50 means 50%, not 0.5)