How to find tables and columns containing specified column value - sql-server

Question

In T-SQL is it possible to give me a list of tables and columns that contain specified column value?
For example, I get a employee report generated out of a SQL Server database that shows "John" as name in one of the columns. Now I want to find out where "John" appears as a field value in any table/column in the database.
So in English my query should sound like;
Select table, column
from database A
where field = 'John'
Thanks

Answer 1

Try with this procedure
CREATE PROCEDURE FindMyData_String #DataToFind NVARCHAR(4000),
#ExactMatch BIT = 0
AS
SET NOCOUNT ON
DECLARE #Temp TABLE
(
RowId INT IDENTITY(1, 1),
SchemaName SYSNAME,
TableName SYSNAME,
ColumnName SYSNAME,
DataType VARCHAR(100),
DataFound BIT
)
INSERT INTO #Temp
(TableName,
SchemaName,
ColumnName,
DataType)
SELECT C.Table_Name,
C.TABLE_SCHEMA,
C.Column_Name,
C.Data_Type
FROM Information_Schema.Columns AS C
INNER JOIN Information_Schema.Tables AS T
ON C.Table_Name = T.Table_Name
AND C.TABLE_SCHEMA = T.TABLE_SCHEMA
WHERE Table_Type = 'Base Table'
AND Data_Type IN ( 'ntext', 'text', 'nvarchar', 'nchar',
'varchar', 'char' )
DECLARE #i INT
DECLARE #MAX INT
DECLARE #TableName SYSNAME
DECLARE #ColumnName SYSNAME
DECLARE #SchemaName SYSNAME
DECLARE #SQL NVARCHAR(4000)
DECLARE #PARAMETERS NVARCHAR(4000)
DECLARE #DataExists BIT
DECLARE #SQLTemplate NVARCHAR(4000)
SELECT #SQLTemplate = CASE
WHEN #ExactMatch = 1 THEN 'If Exists(Select *
From ReplaceTableName
Where Convert(nVarChar(4000), [ReplaceColumnName])
= '''
+ #DataToFind
+ '''
)
Set #DataExists = 1
Else
Set #DataExists = 0'
ELSE 'If Exists(Select *
From ReplaceTableName
Where Convert(nVarChar(4000), [ReplaceColumnName])
Like ''%'
+ #DataToFind
+ '%''
)
Set #DataExists = 1
Else
Set #DataExists = 0'
END,
#PARAMETERS = '#DataExists Bit OUTPUT',
#i = 1
SELECT #i = 1,
#MAX = MAX(RowId)
FROM #Temp
WHILE #i <= #MAX
BEGIN
SELECT #SQL = REPLACE(REPLACE(#SQLTemplate, 'ReplaceTableName', QUOTENAME(SchemaName) + '.'
+ QUOTENAME(TableName)), 'ReplaceColumnName', ColumnName)
FROM #Temp
WHERE RowId = #i
PRINT #SQL
EXEC SP_EXECUTESQL
#SQL,
#PARAMETERS,
#DataExists = #DataExists OUTPUT
IF #DataExists = 1
UPDATE #Temp
SET DataFound = 1
WHERE RowId = #i
SET #i = #i + 1
END
SELECT SchemaName,
TableName,
ColumnName
FROM #Temp
WHERE DataFound = 1
GO
EXEC FindMyData_String
#DataToFind='Enter Your String'