# Table information

> Clicking a table in the tree opens an entity tab with metadata, schema, a free preview of the rows and a storage report, so you can answer "what is in this table and what does it cost" before writing a query against it.

Source: https://docs.querylab.io/schema-browser/table-information/

DETAILS is the default tab. The toolbar on the right: Copy ID, SELECT *, close.

## Opening an entity tab

Click a table, view or routine in the tree, or choose **Show Details** from its context menu. The tab is named after the entity and shows its full ID underneath; it lives in the **Workspace** list with your query tabs, so it survives reloads and can be split or reordered like any other tab.

For a table the toolbar has two actions: **Copy ID** (`project.dataset.table`) and **SELECT \*** (opens a new query tab with `SELECT * FROM …` already typed). Dataset and project tabs show **Copy ID** and **Refresh** (re-fetch that entity's children) instead.

## Which tabs you get

| Entity                        | Tabs                                              |
| ----------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------- |
| Table                         | Details, Schema, Preview, Storage                 |
| Table in a GA4 export dataset | Details, Schema, Preview, Events, Params, Storage |
| View                          | Details, Schema, Query, Preview                   |
| Materialized view             | Details, Schema, Query                            |
| Routine (function, procedure) | Details, Query                                    |
| Dataset, project              | Details, Storage                                  |

## What the Details tab reports

Everything BigQuery reports about the table, in three groups: **Table info**, **Partitioning & Clustering** and **Storage info**. Primary and foreign keys appear under Table info when the table declares them. Partitioning & Clustering is shown only for partitioned or clustered tables; a **Partition Filter Required** there explains the "cannot query without a filter" error you would otherwise meet at run time. Storage figures are metadata reads; nothing is scanned.

Date-sharded tables get an extra **Sharded Table Information** group at the top; see [GA4 events](https://docs.querylab.io/schema-browser/ga4-events/#the-shard-group). Views show a **View info** group instead, materialized views add **Materialized view settings** (refresh interval, last refresh, max staleness), and GA4 datasets a Google Analytics group (property ID, export status).

## Schema

Nested STRUCT fields are listed with their dotted path. The lightning icon marks a clustering column; a key icon marks the partitioning column.

Every column with its BigQuery type, mode (`-` when BigQuery reports none), a sample value and the column description. STRUCT and ARRAY fields expand to their children as `parent.child` rows, so a deeply nested export reads as a flat list you can search with **Search columns...**.

The **⋮** menu on a row offers **Copy column name**, **Copy qualified name** (`table.column`), **Copy type** and **Find in other tables**, which opens a query for that column name across the dataset in a split view next to the schema. **Copy schema as JSON** in the toolbar copies the whole schema in BigQuery's JSON format, ready for `bq mk --schema` or a `CREATE TABLE`.

## Preview

A page of rows from the table, not a query, so nothing is billed. Fifty rows per page; the footer shows the position (`1-50 of 136,292,501 rows`) and the toolbar has search, **Hide N null column(s)**, copy, export and the **TT** [time travel](https://docs.querylab.io/schema-browser/time-travel/) picker.

> Views have no stored rows, so Preview runs the view's query. It's free when   possible; otherwise you get a dry-run estimate and an **Execute on BigQuery**   button.

## Storage

A storage-cost report for one table. Logical storage comes straight from BigQuery metadata and is exact; physical storage and compression are estimated by sampling, with the strategy (**AUTO**, **RECENT**, **RANDOM**) and sample size (**Fast**, **Standard**, **Thorough**) chosen when you click **Generate Report**.

The report gives Total Rows, Logical Storage, Physical Storage, Compression Rate and the Storage Billing Model, then a **Storage Breakdown** (Active Physical, Long-term Physical, Time Travel, Fail-safe, Active Logical, Long-term Logical) and a per-column **Column Analysis** with NULL rates and estimated cost. Recent reports are kept under **Recent Reports** so you can compare runs. Each account has a monthly allowance of reports; the tab shows how many remain.

Long-term storage is what BigQuery charges half price for after 90 days without modification; the breakdown is where you see whether a large table is actually benefiting from it.

## Query

For views, materialized views and routines: the defining SQL, syntax-highlighted, with a **Copy Query** button. Open it in a tab to run or edit it.