Frank The Tank (10/21/2014)
Thanks for all of the responses. Lots of interesting ideas. The computed column approach is probably the most elegant, but it was met with a resounding "Nope" when proposed. The business wants a table-driven solution. So I'm going with the table/dynamic SQL approach (keeping all the caveats in mind). Thanks again to everyone for the replies.
A table could drive how the computed column definition is generated. They are not actually mutually exclusive.
SQL DBA,SQL Server MVP(07, 08, 09) "It's a dog-eat-dog world, and I'm wearing Milk-Bone underwear." "Norm", on "Cheers". Also from "Cheers", from "Carla": "You need to know 3 things about Tortelli men: Tortelli men draw women like flies; Tortelli men treat women like flies; Tortelli men's brains are in their flies".