A row property provides a mechanism for implementing advanced functional behavior in a relational database management system (RDBMS) without introducing new data types. A row property is part of a table definition, such that, when a table is defined in the RDBMS, at least one row property is specified for one or more associated columns of rows of the table, wherein the row property has an associated functional behavior that is predefined within the RDBMS. The columns associated with the row property are generally of existing data types supported by an RDBMS. A row property may be invoked when the RDBMS processes a language statement that references the row property. When the row property is invoked, the RDBMS executes programming logic associated with the row property, in order to perform the advanced functional behavior using data stored in the associated columns.