How to Import Data from a Text File to SQL Server

Note

Data Import Wizard pages can slightly differ due to the product you have been using.

  1. For a new table, on the Database menu, click Import Data. In Object Explorer, right-click a database, point to Data Pump, and then click Import Data. The Data Import wizard opens.
  2. Select Text import format and specify a location of Source data. Click Next.
  3. Specify a SQL Server connection, a database, a schema and a table to import the data to. Click Next.
  4. Select how you want to split the Source data into columns:
    • Manual - for manual splitting. In the Preview section double-click desired positions to set column ranges. The markers will appear. You can move them forward or backward to change the columns length. To remove the markers, double-click them.
    • Fixed width - to split into columns with fixed width. Specify a width value and see how the Source columns are splitted in the Preview section.
    • Delimiter - requires you to specify a column delimiter. See the result in the Preview section.

    Options

  5. Specify additional options to customize the import. (For more information, refer to the Text Options, Data Import Wizard topic.) Click Next.
  6. Specify data formats for the Source data and click Next.
  7. Map the Source columns to the Target ones. If you are importing the data into a new table, Data Pump will automatically create and map all the columns. If you are importing into an existing table, only columns with the same names will be mapped, the rest should be mapped manually. (If no columns with the same name are found, they are mapped in succession - the 1st column in Source with the 1st column in Target, etc.) See the Target columns in the top and the Source columns at the bottom of the wizard page. To change automatic mapping, do the following:
    • (for columns split with a delimiter) Click Source column fields in the top grid and select required columns from the drop-down list.
    • (for columns with fixed width or manual splitting) Select a Target column in the top grid and click the Unmap button. To map it to a Source column, click a required one in the bottom grid and click the Map button. The length and starting position values of the Source column will appear in the corresponding fields in the top grid. If required, you can change these values manually. (For more information about mapping, go to Mapping for Text Data, Data Import Wizard topic.)

      Note

      To cancel mapping of all the columns, click Clear Mappings on the toolbar. To restore it, click Fill Mapping.

  8. If you are importing to a new table, you can edit the Target column properties by double-clicking them in the top grid. Select the Key check box for a column with a primary key and click Next. Note you should select at least one column with a primary key, otherwise some of import modes on the Modes wizard page will be disabled.
  9. Select an import mode to define how Data Pump should import the data. Click Next.
  10. Select how Data Pump should handle errors during import and whether you want to get a log file with details about the import session.
  11. Click Import and see the import progress. Data Pump will notify you whether the import completed successfully or failed. Click the Show log file button to open the log file.

  12. Click Finish to finish the import and close the wizard.

    Note

    You can save the import settings as a template for future uses. Click the Save Template button on any wizard page to save the selected settings. Next time you should only select a template and specify a location of the Source data - all the settings will be already set. For more information, go to Saving and Using Templates topic.