SQL SERVER – Import CSV File Into SQL Server Using Bulk Insert – Load Comma Delimited File Into SQL Server

This is very common request recently – How to import CSV file into SQL Server? How to load CSV file into SQL Server Database Table? How to load comma delimited file into SQL Server? Let us see the solution in quick steps.

CSV stands for Comma Separated Values, sometimes also called Comma Delimited Values.

Create TestTable

USE TestData
GO
CREATE TABLE CSVTest
(ID INT,
FirstName VARCHAR(40),
LastName VARCHAR(40),
BirthDate SMALLDATETIME)
GO
Create CSV file in drive C: with name csvtest.txt with following content. The location of the file is C:\csvtest.txt
1,James,Smith,19750101
2,Meggie,Smith,19790122
3,Robert,Smith,20071101
4,Alex,Smith,20040202

Now run following script to load all the data from CSV to database table. If there is any error in any row it will be not inserted but other rows will be inserted.

BULK
INSERT CSVTest
FROM 'c:\csvtest.txt'
WITH
(
FIELDTERMINATOR = ',',
ROWTERMINATOR = '\n'
)
GO
--Check the content of the table.
SELECT *
FROM CSVTest
GO
--Drop the table to clean up database.
SELECT *
FROM CSVTest
GO

SQL SERVER – What is – DML, DDL, DCL and TCL – Introduction and Examples

SQL SERVER – What is – DML, DDL, DCL and TCL – Introduction and Examples

DML

DML is abbreviation of Data Manipulation Language. It is used to retrieve, store, modify, delete, insert and update data in database.

Examples: SELECT, UPDATE, INSERT statements

DDL

DDL is abbreviation of Data Definition Language. It is used to create and modify the structure of database objects in database.

Examples: CREATE, ALTER, DROP statements

DCL

DCL is abbreviation of Data Control Language. It is used to create roles, permissions, and referential integrity as well it is used to control access to database by securing it.

Examples: GRANT, REVOKE statements

TCL

TCL is abbreviation of Transactional Control Language. It is used to manage different transactions occurring within a database.

Examples: COMMIT, ROLLBACK statements