Table history trigger in SQL Server?

Question

I'd like to create a trigger that writes to a history table with inserted values and before and after update values. I would also like to include as much information about the account doing the update as is possible. How would i include the account information in my trigger?

Here is what I have so far:

CREATE TRIGGER [update_history] ON MyTable
FOR UPDATE
AS
INSERT MyTable_History (id, BudgetNumber, PositionNumber, ModifiedDate, action, userId)
SELECT id, BudgetNumber, PositionNumber, GETDATE(), 'BEFORE UPDATE', '???'
FROM deleted

INSERT MyTable_History (id, BudgetNumber, PositionNumber, ModifiedDate, action, userId)
SELECT id, BudgetNumber, PositionNumber, GETDATE(), 'AFTER UPDATE', '???'
FROM inserted

What do i put in place of the '???'?

Answer 1

use ORIGINAL_LOGIN()

you can see further definition of what it does here SQL Server - current user name

Answer 2

FWIW, if you are using SQL Server 2008, there is a much better alternative than writing triggers to track data changes. Take a look at Change Data Capture.

Answer 3

If each user has an account, you can use the SYSTEM_USER function to determine the current user. However, if all your connections go through a proxy account, as is typical in most web site setups, then you have to rely on the proper userId being passed to the Update statement:

CREATE TRIGGER [update_history] ON MyTable
FOR UPDATE
AS
INSERT MyTable_History (id, BudgetNumber, PositionNumber, ModifiedDate, action, userId)
SELECT id, BudgetNumber, PositionNumber, GETDATE(), 'BEFORE UPDATE', inserted.userId
FROM MyTable
    Join inserted
        On inserted.id = MyTable.id

INSERT MyTable_History (id, BudgetNumber, PositionNumber, ModifiedDate, action, userId)
SELECT id, BudgetNumber, PositionNumber, GETDATE(), 'AFTER UPDATE', userId
FROM inserted