---
title: "sp_depends (Transact-SQL) | Microsoft Docs"
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ms.date: "03/16/2017"
ms.prod: sql
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  - "sp_depends"
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  - "sp_depends"
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author: stevestein
ms.author: sstein
---
# sp_depends (Transact-SQL)
[!INCLUDE[tsql-appliesto-ss2008-xxxx-xxxx-xxx-md](../../includes/tsql-appliesto-ss2008-xxxx-xxxx-xxx-md.md)]

  Displays information about database object dependencies, such as the views and procedures that depend on a table or view, and the tables and views that are depended on by the view or procedure. References to objects outside the current database are not reported.  
  
> [!IMPORTANT]  
>  [!INCLUDE[ssNoteDepFutureAvoid](../../includes/ssnotedepfutureavoid-md.md)] Use [sys.dm_sql_referencing_entities](../../relational-databases/system-dynamic-management-views/sys-dm-sql-referencing-entities-transact-sql.md) and [sys.dm_sql_referenced_entities](../../relational-databases/system-dynamic-management-views/sys-dm-sql-referenced-entities-transact-sql.md) instead.  
  
 ![Topic link icon](../../database-engine/configure-windows/media/topic-link.gif "Topic link icon") [Transact-SQL Syntax Conventions](../../t-sql/language-elements/transact-sql-syntax-conventions-transact-sql.md)  
  
## Syntax  
  
```  
  
sp_depends [ @objname = ] '<object>'   
  
<object> ::=  
{  
    [ database_name. [ schema_name ] . | schema_name.  
    object_name  
}  
```  
  
## Arguments  
 *database_name*  
 Is the name of the database.  
  
 *schema_name*  
 Is the name of the schema to which the object belongs.  
  
 *object_name*  
 Is the database object to examine for dependencies. The object can be a table, view, stored procedure, user-defined function, or trigger. o*bject_name* is **nvarchar(776)**, with no default.  
  
## Return Code Values  
 0 (success) or 1 (failure)  
  
## Result Sets  
 **sp_depends** displays two result sets.  
  
 The following result set shows the objects on which *\<object>* depends.  
  
|Column name|Data type|Description|  
|-----------------|---------------|-----------------|  
|**name**|**nvarchar(257** **)**|Name of the item for which a dependency exists.|  
|**type**|**nvarchar(16)**|Type of the item.|  
|**updated**|**nvarchar(7)**|Whether the item is updated.|  
|**selected**|**nvarchar(8)**|Whether the item is used in a SELECT statement.|  
|**column**|**sysname**|Column or parameter on which the dependency exists.|  
  
 The following result set shows the objects that depend on *\<object>*.  
  
|Column name|Data type|Description|  
|-----------------|---------------|-----------------|  
|**name**|**nvarchar(257** **)**|Name of the item for which a dependency exists.|  
|**type**|**nvarchar(16)**|Type of the item.|  
  
## Permissions  
 Requires membership in the **public** role.  
  
## Examples  
  
### A. Listing dependencies on a table  
 The following example lists the database objects that depend on the `Sales.Customer` table in the [!INCLUDE[ssSampleDBobject](../../includes/sssampledbobject-md.md)] database. Both the schema name and table name are specified.  
  
```  
USE AdventureWorks2012;  
GO  
EXEC sp_depends @objname = N'Sales.Customer' ;  
```  
  
### B. Listing dependencies on a trigger  
 The following example lists the database objects on which the trigger `iWorkOrder` depends.  
  
```  
EXEC sp_depends @objname = N'AdventureWorks2012.Production.iWorkOrder' ;  
```  
  
## See Also  
 [Database Engine Stored Procedures &#40;Transact-SQL&#41;](../../relational-databases/system-stored-procedures/database-engine-stored-procedures-transact-sql.md)   
 [EXECUTE &#40;Transact-SQL&#41;](../../t-sql/language-elements/execute-transact-sql.md)   
 [sp_help &#40;Transact-SQL&#41;](../../relational-databases/system-stored-procedures/sp-help-transact-sql.md)   
 [System Stored Procedures &#40;Transact-SQL&#41;](../../relational-databases/system-stored-procedures/system-stored-procedures-transact-sql.md)   
 [sys.sql_dependencies &#40;Transact-SQL&#41;](../../relational-databases/system-catalog-views/sys-sql-dependencies-transact-sql.md)