Finding SQL Server’s job execution history using TSQL

Often we need to compare how long a job took to execute in past. While GUI is a good tool for finding this information, it may be inefficient if we need to retrieve data for multiple jobs and/or for multiple times.

Below code (TSQL Script) will return Job Name, Execution date and execution duration for a specific job. Also please note that this report will generate one row for each step of the job. So for example if your job has 5 steps, you will get 5 steps for that particular execution of that job mentioning how much time each step’s execution has taken.

select job_name, run_datetime, run_duration

from

(

    select job_name, run_datetime,

        SUBSTRING(run_duration, 1, 2) + ':' + SUBSTRING(run_duration, 3, 2) + ':' +

        SUBSTRING(run_duration, 5, 2) AS run_duration

    from

    (

        select DISTINCT

            j.name as job_name,

            run_datetime = CONVERT(DATETIME, RTRIM(run_date)) + 

                (run_time * 9 + run_time % 10000 * 6 + run_time % 100 * 10) / 216e4,

            run_duration = RIGHT('000000' + CONVERT(varchar(6), run_duration), 6)

        from msdb..sysjobhistory h

        inner join msdb..sysjobs j

        on h.job_id = j.job_id

    ) t

) t

where job_name =  <Job Name>   -- Example: 'Full Backups.Subplan_1'

order by run_datetime desc

Note: This code is tested on SQL 2000/2005/2008.

Reference: http://weblogs.sqlteam.com/tarad/archive/2009/06/10/SQL-Server-Script-to-Display-Job-History.aspx

Note: You may omit where clause if you want this report for all jobs of the instance.