Create and update database tables (Visual Database Tools)

Applies to: SQL Server

The Table Designer is a visual tool where you design and visualize database tables. To create, edit, or delete tables, columns, keys, indexes, relationships, and constraints, use the Table Designer in SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS).

Create a table

1. Right-click the Tables node in your database and select New > Table in SSMS, or New Table in ADS.
2. Add columns to your table, specifying name, data type, and whether NULL values are allowed for each column.
3. In SSMS, close the designer and specify a table name to save your changes.

Update a table

1. Right-click the table under the Tables node of your database and select Design.
2. Update the desired table settings.
3. Close the designer and save your changes.

Permissions

In order to create a table, you must have CREATE TABLE permissions in the database and ALTER permission on the schema in which the table is being created. For more information, see CREATE TABLE.

To alter a table, you must have ALTER permissions on the table. For more information, see ALTER TABLE.

Related content

• Tables
• Table properties (Visual Database Tools)
• Column Properties (Visual Database Tools)
• Add Columns to a Table (Database Engine)
• Primary and foreign key constraints
• Indexes
• Data types (Transact-SQL)
• Create a database and add tables in Visual Studio