Dynamic return type generation in a database system. A request is received to execute a first function. A second function is executed if the first function is defined to return data in a first type of data structure. When executed, the second function returns formatting information that indicates an arrangement of fields of data within the first type of data structure. The first function is executed to obtain a collection of data formatted according to the first type of data structure, and the collection of data is organized according to the formatting information returned by the second function.