Updating Statistics for Columns

The Table and Column Scope specification can also include the names of one or more columns for which you want statistical distributions calculated.

In the following example, this statement calculates the distributions for three columns of the orders table:
UPDATE STATISTICS FOR TABLE orders (order_num, customer_num, ship_date);

If you include no column name in the FOR TABLE clause, then distributions are calculated for all columns of the specified table, using the LOW, MEDIUM, or HIGH mode and the number of bins implied by the specified or default Resolution clause percentage (for MEDIUM or HIGH mode) that you request.

See also Updating Statistics for Columns of User-Defined Types for UPDATE STATISTICS restrictions on columns that store UDTs.