Database programs like SQL and statistical programs like SAS often have a function that can output

information like this about a data set, but it still needs to be curated by a human. It may be helpful to

start your data dictionary with such output, but it is best to complete it in Excel. That way, you can add

the human curation yourself to the Excel data dictionary, and other research team members can easily

access the data dictionary to better understand the variables in the database.