How to Import Data into SQL Table from Excel Spreadsheet?

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It is important to import data into SQL table from Excel. What is the idea? Why import data? SQL allows users to import data from multiple sources, but why?

SQL Server is becoming an overpriced licensed version. Organizations and business purchase the licensed version of this software to manage their data. This is because the software is not accessible to every individual or small business unit. SMEs stored their data usually in Microsoft Excel or other software. That is the main reason to import data into SQL database table from Excel spreadsheet.

With DBA support, it can be difficult to update the data to the database using a search command. So we can import data from different sources and we can backup them in the database.

An external resource from which you can import data into SQL Server:

• Microsoft Access: Easily import Microsoft Access .mdb and .accdb Files into SQL Server database.
• Microsoft Excel: Direct option to import Microsoft Excel 2003 and 2007 version .xls data into SQL Database table.
• Oracle Database: Now its easy to migrate Oracle database into Live SQL Server database.
• CSV File Format: You can also export CSV file data into SQL Server database.
• Microsoft OLE DB: Import Microsoft OLE DB data into SQL Server database.

There are also techniques and professional solutions for importing Microsoft Excel spreadsheet data into SQL Server databases Let’s talk about how to get started with SQL Server for manually import data. For this you have to SQL Server licensed version with Microsoft Office installation.

Author Recommendations: To migrate the SQL Server database into the live SQL Server database, you can opt for SQL Database Migration Wizard. The best software solution to migrate online or offline SQL database into Live SQL Server database or SQL Server scripts.

Use SQL Server Import and Export Wizard

SQL Server supports various methods for importing data from external sources is much easier. You can import an entire database or several tables and / or database data or any data can be imported.

Import Excel Data into SQL Server Procedure

Follow the steps carefully to import data into an SQL table from Excel spreadsheet:

Source: Microsoft Excel; Destination: SQL Database

NOTE: For Windows OS machines, you can import Excel files into SQL databases and vice versa.

1. Connect to the database, Right-click on the database that you want to import data from a Microsoft Excel worksheet
2. Follow: Tasks >> Import Data and select the data source as a Microsoft Excel file. Click Next
3. Next will select the Destination. The destination is the database from which you want to copy the data
4. Click Done. The target database will be updated with new data from Microsoft Excel.

Also Read: How to Export Office 365 Archive to PST Format?

Import Excel Data into SQL Server Prerequisites

As we mentioned manual method to import data into SQL Server table from Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet. But it has some limitations as you can only import Excel 2003 and 2007 data into SQL table. It has also some other limitations:

Supported Models

SQL Server software allows importing files written in Microsoft Excel versions from 2003 to 2007. It will not work if the MS Excel version is higher than in 2007. Any other version will cause an error while importing. The problem arises due to software differences, one is the 32-bit version and the other is the 64-bit version.

Solution: Before you start the import, Use Save as an option to save the Excel spreadsheet in a version that supports SQL Server.

Microsoft Office

The workstation should have a Microsoft Office 2003 or 2007.

Map the Number of Imports

It is a manual mode. So it can be extremely difficult to keep track of the number of imports made. In some cases, data from a single file cannot be imported. So for N number of files you have to do N import operations.

In addition, in real time negligence can overwrite data.

Without Schema

If the schema for a particular sheet is not created in Microsoft Excel, the DBA must first create the schema, or you will probably need to re-import the file again.

Microsoft Excel worksheets are imported without schema. But for most records it will show a blank value. The best solution to avoid this scenario is to create a schema for each such sheet in MS Excel before importing.

Threat

All the limits described illustrate the danger of manually importing data into SQL Server database table from Microsoft Excel spreadsheet, but also leads to data loss. The later data may be useless as it is difficult to recover.

Summing Up

Today we discussed why it’s important to import data into an SQL database. We also learn why it is necessary or necessary. The manual method that comes with SQL databases for importing and exporting data is also mentioned. However, it can be concluded that this method works for some versions and files of MS Excel to prevent data damage or loss.