Import and export data from excel to sql server

This guide explains how to use the SQL Server Import and Export Wizard to get data into a SQL Server database.

What is the SQL Server Import and Export Wizard?

SQL Server Import and Export Wizard is a simple way to copy data from a source to a destination.  It is most commonly used to get data into or out of a SQL Server database, but it caters to several scenarios.

Although like most Microsoft wizards you are guided through the process quite easily, there are a few key steps in the process that you need to be aware of.  There are also quite a few dialogs to go through in the wizard, some of which need more attention than others.

This guide describes the data sources and destinations that can be used and goes through the step-by-step process by way of an example.

If you are looking for a simple way of importing/exporting data specifically from Excel to SQL Server, try the SQL Spreads Excel add-in.  

What data sources and destinations can be used?

The SQL Server Import and Export Wizard has a number of options available when it comes to selecting the data source and destination.  The main options are:

• Enterprise Databases (eg Microsoft SQL, Oracle)
• Open-source database (eg PostgreSQL, MySQL)
• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft Access
• Text files (eg flat files like csv)
• Any source for which an ODBC driver, a .Net Framework Data Provider, or OLE DB Provider is available.

The list of available data sources that you’ll see when you run the wizard includes only the providers installed on your computer.  For example, the screenshot below shows the data sources that I can choose from. As you can see, I don’t have MySQL installed, so the provider for the MySQL data source is not available for me.

Some example scenarios

The range of options for data sources and destinations means that there are quite a few theoretical scenarios for using the SQL Server Import and Export Wizard.  The following are some of the more common ones:

• Importing data from a csv (comma-separated values) file to a SQL Server table
• Importing data from an Excel spreadsheet to a SQL Server table
• Exporting data from a SQL Server table to an Excel spreadsheet
• Importing data from an open-source database (eg MySQL) to SQL Server
• Exporting data from SQL Server to an open-source database

The scenario for importing data from a csv file to SQL Server is particularly common, and we’ve described this process in a previous article.  We’ve also described a simple and often overlooked method of importing data from Excel to SQL Server in this article.

How to use the SQL Server Import and Export Wizard

The SQL Server Import and Export Wizard is installed when you install SQL Server.  It is commonly used from within SQL Management Studio.  It can, however, be downloaded and installed as a stand-alone utility.

The way you launch the application depends on your use case.  For example, if you need to import data from a csv file to a SQL Server table, and you’re not a SQL user, you may launch the stand-alone version.

NOTE: If you launch the wizard from SQL Server Management Studio (select a database, right-click and selection Tasks > Import Data) and try and import from Excel, you may see an error message along the lines of “The operation could not be completed. The ‘Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.16.0’ provider is not registered on the local machine.” This message appears because SSMS is a 32-bit application and you have a 64-bit version of Excel.  In this case, you’ll need to use the stand-alone version of SQL Server Import and Export Wizard.

Whichever way you launch the application – as a stand-alone or from within SQL Management Studio – the process is the same.

The steps we’re going to work through are summarized below:

• Start the Wizard
• Pick the source of the data
• Pick the destination for the data
• Specify what you want to copy
• Configure the copy operation
• Copy the data

The example scenario we’re going to work through involves importing data from an Excel spreadsheet into a new SQL Server table.  The Excel spreadsheet is here if you want to follow along yourself.  It contains two sheets: one containing a list of students, and one containing a list of subjects.  For this example, we are only interested in importing the list of students into SQL Server.

Step (1): Start the Wizard

In our example, I am a user that doesn’t use SQL Server Management Studio, so I’m going to launch the SQL Server Import and Export Wizard from my Start menu.

When you launch the application, the Welcome page is displayed, and you can go ahead and click ‘Next’.

Step (2): Pick the source of the data

Our source data is in Excel, so on the Choose a Data Source page, we can select “Microsoft Excel”.

When we select a data source, we need to specify some more information about it.  In this case, we need to provide the location of the Excel file and the version.  We can also indicate that the first row has column headers which should be used as the column names in the SQL Server table.

Note: when you select a data source type, the connection settings that you need to provide will change.  For example, if your data source is a flat file (eg a csv file), you need to specify the file location and some details of the file format.

Step (3): Pick the destination for the data

On the Choose a Destination page, we now need to specify the destination for the data.  For our example, the destination is a SQL Server table, so from the destination drop down menu we need to select SQL Server Native Client (you could also select Microsoft OLE DB Driver for SQL Server).

When you select the SQL Server option, the Authentication and Database options are displayed.  In this example we’re going to select ‘Windows Authentication’ and we’re going to copy the data into a table in a new database by clicking ‘New’ in the database section.  If we want to copy the data to a table in an existing database, we can select from the Database drop down menu instead of creating a new database.

Click ‘Next’

Step (4): Specify what you want to copy

The Excel workbook that we are using for this example contains two sheets. We are only interested in the Students sheet for now, so we need to specify that only this will be copied.

First, on the Select Table Copy or Query page, we need to confirm the default option of ‘Copy data from one or more tables or views’.  This just means that we are copying all the data and not a subset of data.  This configuration option is more relevant when you are copying from a SQL database, and you want to write a specific SELECT statement, for example, to filter the data being copied.

Click ‘Next’

On the Select Source Tables and Views page, we can do the following to further define how the copy is performed:

• choose the specific sheet(s) within the workbook that we want to copy
• (optional) re-name the table that will be created in SQL Server
• (optional) edit the column mappings

First, we need to tick the first sheet in the list, as that has the student data that we want to copy.  Note that we can copy as many spreadsheets as we like during this operation.  We’re also going to rename the table that will be created in SQL Server.  The default is for the table to be given the same name as the sheet name with a dollar sign appended to it; we’re going to remove the dollar sign.

Next we’re going to edit the column mappings by clicking the ‘Edit Mappings…’ button.

Step (5): Configure the copy operation

First we’re going to change the column names in the destination table so that they use lowercase and underscores.  Secondly, we’re going to change the data type for the ‘date_of_birth’ column from datetime to date.

Once done, click ‘Ok’ to close the dialog and then ‘Next’.

If any of the mappings that we specified may not succeed in the copy process the SQL Server Import and Export Wizard shows the Review Data Type Mapping page. This page will indicate the conversions that the wizard needs to perform to make the source data compatible with the destination.  In our example, there is a warning that the conversion from DateTime to Date for the ‘Date of Birth’ column may lead to data loss.  We don’t need to worry about this warning as it is simply implying that the time portion of the Date of Birth won’t be copied to the new column in the table – this is actually what we are aiming for.

Click the ‘Next’ button.

Step (6): Copy the data

The wizard now offers you the chance to save the Wizard configuration as an SSIS package in addition to the default option of running the copy immediately.

Note: The SQL Import and Export Wizard uses SSIS under the hood; in other words, each time you run the wizard, you are creating an SSIS package.  This is why you are given the option of saving it for future use.

We are just going to leave the default option ticked and then click the ‘Next’ button.

The wizard now displays a summary of the steps that we have configured.

Click ‘Finish’, and the wizard will now show the final screen, which is the result of the execution.  In our case, the execution was successful, and we can see that 1000 records were copied to the students table in the demo database in SQL Server.

As a final check, we can open SQL Server Management Studio and check that the data has been copied successfully to the students table in the new demo database.

Summary

SQL Import and Export Wizard offers a comprehensive range of options to copy data from a source to a destination.  In this example, we have shown how to use the wizard for a common use case: copying data from Excel to SQL Server.

If you are looking for a simple alternative to SQL Import and Export Wizard to import and export data from Excel to SQL Server, try SQL Spreads.

*This article was originally published on July 20, 2021 and was updated on May 6, 2022 to include additional information about the versions of the standalone utility.

There are many articles about writing code to import an Excel file, but this is a manual/shortcut version:

If you don’t need to import your Excel file programmatically using code, you can do it very quickly using the menu in SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS).

The quickest way to get your Excel file into SQL is by using the import wizard:

1. Open SSMS (SQL Server Management Studio) and connect to the database where you want to import your file into.

2. Import Data: in SSMS in Object Explorer under ‘Databases’, right-click the destination database, and select Tasks, Import Data. An import wizard will pop up (you can usually just click Next on the first screen).

   

3. The next window is ‘Choose a Data Source‘. Select Excel:

• In the ‘Data Source’ dropdown list, select Microsoft Excel (this option should appear automatically if you have Excel installed).

• Click the ‘Browse’ button to select the path to the Excel file you want to import.

• Select the version of the Excel file (97-2003 is usually fine for files with a .XLS extension, or use 2007 for newer files with a .XLSX extension)

• Tick the ‘First Row has headers’ checkbox if your Excel file contains headers.

• Click Next.

  

1. On the ‘Choose a Destination‘ screen, select destination database:

• Select the ‘Server name’, Authentication (typically your sql username & password) and select a Database as destination. Click Next.

  

1. On the ‘Specify Table Copy or Query‘ window:

• For simplicity just select ‘Copy data from one or more tables or views’, click Next.

1. ‘Select Source Tables:‘ choose the worksheet(s) from your Excel file and specify a destination table for each worksheet. If you don’t have a table yet the wizard will very kindly create a new table that matches all the columns from your spreadsheet. Click Next.

   

2. Click Finish.

Excel Import to SQL Server using SQL Server Integration Services

Introduction

This article contains a complete example of Microsoft Excel and CSV data import to SQL Server using SQL Server Integration Services.

You will find useful tips to get around difficulties and save your time.

You will find a useful configurable command file to run import packages.

You can download example files also.

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• The basics of SQL Server Integration Services
• Excel 2003-2016 and CSV Providers
• SSIS Package Design using Import-Export Wizard
• SSIS Packages Run using Command Line
• Conclusion
• Download
• See Also

The basics of SQL Server Integration Services

SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) are powerful tools to import-export data between SQL Server/SQL Azure and other data sources including Microsoft Excel 2003/2007 and CSV files.

You can create SSIS packages using two tools:

• SQL Server Business Intelligence Development Studio (BIDS)
• SQL Server Import-Export Wizard.

You can run SSIS packages using the following tools:

• SQL Server Import-Export Wizard when you create a package.
• The dtexec command line utility.
• The dtexecui interactive utility.
• SQL Agent.

BIDS and SQL Agent are not avaiable in SQL Server Express Edition.

Also, in Express Edition, you cannot save a designed package from the Import-Export Wizard,

See a good video how to design an SSIS package using BIDS:

Creating a Basic Package (SQL Server Video)

We will talk about package design using SQL Server Import-Export Wizard.

This feature covers import-export task with Microsoft Excel and CSV files.

Excel 2003-2016 and CSV Providers

Jet OLE DB Provider for Microsoft Excel 2003

The Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0 Provider is used to import-export data with Microsoft Excel 97-2003 workbooks.

It is named «Microsoft Excel» in the Import-Export Wizard.

This provider is available by default on all Windows platform but has only the 32-bit version.

So, use the 32-bit version of dtexec utility and specify Run64BitRuntime=False in the Debug Options of SQL Server Business Intelligence Development Studio project properties.

ACE OLE DB Provider for Microsoft Excel 2007-2016

Microsoft Office 12.0 Access Database Engine OLE DB Provider is used to import-export data with Microsoft Excel 2007-2016 workbooks like *.xlsx, *.xlsm, *.xlb.

You can download and install this provider using the following link:

Microsoft Access Database Engine 2010 Redistributable

Note that the platform of the provider should be the same as installed Microsoft Office platform.

Also, you should use the appropriate platform versions of dtexec and the Import-Export Wizard.

So, if you have Microsoft Office x64 installed you should install the 64-bit provider and use the 64-bit Import-Export Wizard.

Note that SQL Server Management Studio and SQL Server Business Intelligence Development Studio run only the 32-bit Import-Export Wizard from a shell. So, use the «Import and Export Data (64-bit)» link from the SQL Server Start Menu group to run the wizard.

To configure the provider fill in the Data Source value with Excel workbook path and Extended Properties with «Excel 12.0;HDR=YES» value for import to SQL Server from Excel and «Excel 12.0» for export from SQL Server to Excel.

In the 32-bit Import-Export Wizard, you can use the «Microsoft Excel» data source with the «Microsoft Excel 2007» version to configure the ACE OLE DB Provider the same way as for Excel 2003 data source.

Flat File Source Provider

The Flat File Source Provider is available by default and has the 32-bit and 64-bit versions.

SSIS Package Design using Import-Export Wizard

How to Run Import-Export Wizard

You have three basic ways to run Import-Export Wizard:

1. Run from SQL Server group in the Start Menu.
2. Run from SQL Server Management Studio (Object Explorer, Database, Tasks, Export Data…).
3. Run from SQL Server Business Intelligence Development Studio (Solution Explorer, SSIS Packages, SSIS Import and Export Wizard…).

Only the first way allows running the 64-bit version of the Wizard that is required for the 64-bit ACE OLE DB Provider.

Choose a Data Source as Excel 2003/Excel 2007/CSV

On this step, you can use a production path to a data source or a temporary development path.

In the last case, you can specify the path at runtime.

In this example drive d: is used as a path directory.

Excel 2003 as Data Source

For importing from Excel 2003 workbooks, select Microsoft Excel as Data source and Microsoft Excel 97/2003 as Excel version.

Excel 2007-2016 as Data Source

For importing from Excel 2007-2016 workbooks using the 32-bit ACE OLE DB Provider, select Microsoft Excel as Data source and Microsoft Excel 2007 as Excel version.

For importing from Excel 2007-2016 workbooks using the 64-bit ACE OLE DB Provider, select Microsoft Office 12.0 Access Database Engine OLE DB Provider.

Specify Extended Properties = «Excel 12.0;HDR=YES» and Data Source on the All tab.

The good idea is to Test Connection on the Connection tab.

A CSV file as Data Source

Carefully specify the first three tabs, especially, the «Advanced» tab.

Don’t forget to check «Column names in the first data row.»

It is a good idea to use «Suggest Types…» button on the «Advanced» tab.

Choose a Destination as SQL Server/SQl Azure

At this step we can choose the following providers:

1. SQL Server Native Client.
2. Microsoft OLE DB Provider for SQL Server.
3. .NET Framework Data Provider for SqlServer.

The only .NET Framework Data Provider for SqlServer allows connecting to SQL Azure at design time.

However, I have an error during the package run using dtexec utility: «ADO NET Destination has failed to acquire the connection». Moreover, I cannot find a solution.

SQL Server Native Client is the best choice, therefore.

For SQL Azure, we can make a design time connection to local SQL Server and then define a real connection string at runtime.

Specify Table Copy or Query

The copying from a table is just enough for Excel/CSV import.

Select Source Tables and Views

Microsoft Excel has two types of data sources:

• Sheets.
• Named ranges.

You can see ‘ExcelTest’ named range and ‘Sheet1$’ sheet on the screenshot.

Use named ranges if possible because users can add information on worksheets somewhere.

Save and Run Package

The SQL Server Express Import-Export Wizard does not allow saving packages.

There are two options for storing SSIS packages:

• SQL Server
• File system

Advantages of the storing to a file system are that you can edit SSIS packages using a text editor and distribute packages easily.

There are some options of the Package protection level:

• Do not save sensitive data.
• Encrypt sensitive data with the user key.
• Encrypt sensitive data with a password.
• Encrypt all data with the user key.
• Encrypt all data with a password.

User key options restrict SSIS package run on other machines. Thus, you cannot distribute it easily.

Encrypt all data options restricts access to an SSIS package text. Thus, you cannot edit it using a text editor.

If an SSIS package does not contain sensitive data, you cannot run and debug a package using SQL Server Business Intelligence Development Studio.

So, the best way for most cases is «Encrypt sensitive data with password».

Password «123» is used in the example.

Complete the Wizard

Verify the choices and click «Finish» button.

Datetime/Float/Double/Null Issues of CSV Import

Import from CSV files has some issues:

• SSIS insert default values instead of null values.
• SSIS cannot convert float/double values without fixed scale from CSV files.

For example, the imported Float value is not equal to source value 123.4567, and the Datetime value has datetime value 1753-01-01 00:00:00 (which can be 1899-12-30 00:00:00 if a date type specified).

I know only the one solution for the float/double issue. It is to setup the decimal data type for CSV column using a scale that covers possible scales of column data.

There are two ways to turn on null values:

1. Change «RetainNulls» property to true in an SSIS package using a text editor.
2. Open an SSIS package in SQL Server Business Intelligence Development Studio, activate the Data Flow tab, select the Flat File Source and set «RetainNull» to True in the property window. Alternatively, click «Edit…» in the Context Menu and check «Retain null values from the source as null values in the data flow.»

The results with null values.

SSIS Packages Run using Command Line

SSIS Packages Runtime Configuration

The basic command for SSIS package run is

dtexec /file <package> /decrypt <package password>

where a package password is from the «SaveandRunPackage» step of the Import-Export Wizard.

On 64-bit computers, the 64-bit version of dtexec is used by default.

The paths for dtexec executables:

C:Program FilesMicrosoft SQL Server100DTSBinnDTExec.exe

C:Program Files (x86)Microsoft SQL Server100DTSBinnDTExec.exe

Also, we can modify SSIS package paramaters using /set PropertyPath;Value option.

The SQL Server/SQL Azure destination connection string example:

/set Package.Connections[DestinationConnectionOLEDB].Properties[ConnectionString];""Data Source=%server%;User ID=%username%;Password=%password%;Initial Catalog=%database%;Provider=SQLNCLI10;Auto Translate=false;""

The Excel 2003 source connection string example:

/set Package.Connections[SourceConnectionExcel].Properties[ConnectionString];""Provider=Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0;Data Source=%file%;Extended Properties="Excel 8.0;HDR=YES";""

The Excel 2007-2016 source connection string example:

/set Package.Connections[SourceConnectionExcel].Properties[ConnectionString];""Provider=Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0;Data Source=%file%;Extended Properties="Excel 12.0;HDR=YES"""

The CSV source connection string example:

/set Package.Connections[SourceConnectionFlatFile].Properties[ConnectionString];%file%

SSIS Packages Run Automation

The right technology to run SSIS packages is SQL Agent.

However, we can use a simple and configurable batch file to run SSIS packages.

Let’s create import-config.txt for destination SQL Server/SQL Azure connection string configuration:

destination=Package.Connections[DestinationConnectionOLEDB].Properties[ConnectionString];""Data Source=ko7h266q17.database.windows.net;User ID=excel_user@ko7h266q17;Password=ExSQL_#02;Initial Catalog=AzureDemo50;Provider=SQLNCLI10;Auto Translate=false;""

Let’s create import-task.txt for SSIS packages configuration:

# Specify x64 platform for ImportExcel2007.dtsx if Office x64 installed

# Source        SSIS_Package            Password    Type    Platform
ExcelTest.csv   ImportCSV.dtsx          123         csv     x86
ExcelTest.xls   ImportExcel2003.dtsx    123         jet     x86
ExcelTest.xlsx  ImportExcel2007.dtsx    123         ace     x86

Here the code of the import-ssis.cmd command file:

@echo off

rem Check and change the paths to dtexec.exe if needed
set dtexec_x64="C:Program FilesMicrosoft SQL Server100DTSBinnDTExec.exe"
set dtexec_x86="C:Program Files (x86)Microsoft SQL Server100DTSBinnDTExec.exe"
if not exist %dtexec_x86% set dtexec_x86=%dtexec_x64%

rem Reads %destination% variable from import-config.txt
for /F "eol=# tokens=1* delims==" %%i in (import-config.txt) do set %%i=%%j

rem Reads and parses lines of import-task.txt
for /F "eol=# tokens=1* delims==" %%i in (import-task.txt) do call :RUN_ONE %%i %%j %%k %%l %%m %%n %%o %%p %%q

goto END

:RUN_ONE
set name=%1
set file=%~f1
set package=%2
set password=%3
set type=%4
set platform=%5

rem The connection string for the source file
set source=

if .%type%.==.csv. set source=Package.Connections[SourceConnectionFlatFile].Properties[ConnectionString];%file%

if .%type%.==.jet. set source=Package.Connections[SourceConnectionExcel].Properties[ConnectionString];""Provider=Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0;Data Source=%file%;Extended Properties="Excel 8.0;HDR=YES";""

if .%type%.==.ace. set source=Package.Connections[SourceConnectionExcel].Properties[ConnectionString];""Provider=Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0;Data Source=%file%;Extended Properties="Excel 12.0;HDR=YES"""

if .source.==.. goto END

rem The dtexec for required platform
set dtexec=
if .%platform%.==.x86. set dtexec=%dtexec_x86%
if .%platform%.==.x64. set dtexec=%dtexec_x64%
if .dtexec.==.. goto END

echo.
echo %package% from %name%
echo.
%dtexec% /file %package% /Decrypt %password% /set %source% /set %destination% /reporting E > %package%.log
type %package%.log

:END

The download package includes all these files.

Conclusion

If you have SQL Server Standard or higher, you can use SQL Server Integration Services to import data from Microsoft Excel 2003-2016 or CSV files to SQL Server.

Hope that the article tips help you to save your time.

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