Recently I did a presentation on dynamic SQL. In the presentation I pointed out the similarity of using sp_executesql to creating a stored procedure to do the same task. After the session I was asked: If that’s the case, can I pass a TVP (table valued parameter) into sp_executesql?

Awesome question! Let’s give it a shot.

When using TVPs, the first thing you have to do is define the table type.

USE Test
GO

CREATE TYPE MyTVPType AS TABLE
( Col1 INT PRIMARY KEY);
GO

The next we run the test. I’m using the TVP to check for values in a table. Similar to a dynamic IN clause.

USE Test
GO

-- Create a temp table with data to query from.
CREATE TABLE #DynamicTVPTest (Col1 INT);
INSERT INTO #DynamicTVPTest VALUES (1), (5), (67), (100), (301),
    (543), (997), (1111), (1245), (3356),
    (4295), (6546), (8342), (8567), (9000),
    (9265), (10045), (10321), (11456), (12545);
GO

-- Declare my TVP variable and add data.
DECLARE @MyTVP MyTVPType;
 
INSERT INTO @MyTVP VALUES (1), (5), (67), (100), (301),
    (543), (997), (3356), (9265), (11456), (12545);

-- Declare my dynamic SQL variable and add the query.
DECLARE @SQL nvarchar(4000);
SET @SQL = 
N'SELECT * FROM #DynamicTVPTest
WHERE Col1 IN (SELECT Col1 FROM @MyTVP)';

-- Run the whole thing.
EXEC sp_executesql @SQL, N'@MyTVP MyTVPType READONLY',
@MyTVP;

And it worked! In further proof of the sp_executesql is just like creating a SP theory I got the following error if I forgot the READONLY clause in the second parameter.

Msg 352, Level 15, State 1, Line 15

The table-valued parameter “@MyTVP” must be declared with the READONLY option.

Which is exactly what I would have expected if I was running this as an SP and forgot the READONLY.