Why am I able to query for more than 1024 columns but I can not make a view of the same query? My boss is requesting a view with greater than 1024 columns where in he will only select a few columns he wants when he queries the view so that the actual returned columns are less than 1024. Why am I able to query for greater than 1024 columns but I can not save this very same query as a view?

I am using SQL Server 2012 Enterprise
From CREATE VIEW (Transact-SQL):


  A view can have a maximum of 1,024 columns.


From Maximum Capacity Specifications for SQL Server:



Each table can have a maximum of 1,024 columns (30,000 for wide tables).

So, the simple answer is that the (somewhat arbitrary) limits are different.