Import Excel spreadsheet columns into SQL Server database

Microsoft suggest several methods:

• SQL Server Data Transformation Services (DTS)
• Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Integration Services (SSIS)
• SQL Server linked servers
• SQL Server distributed queries
• ActiveX Data Objects (ADO) and the Microsoft OLE DB Provider for SQL Server
• ADO and the Microsoft OLE DB Provider for Jet 4.0

If the wizard (DTS) isn't working (and I think it should) you could try something like this http://www.devasp.net/net/articles/display/771.html which basically suggests doing something like

INSERT INTO [tblTemp] ([Column1], [Column2], [Column3], [Column4])

SELECT A.[Column1], A.[Column2], A.[Column3], A.[Column4]
FROM OPENROWSET 
('Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0', 'Excel 8.0;Database=D:\Excel.xls;HDR=YES', 'select * from [Sheet1$]') AS A;

This may sound like the long way around, but you may want to look at using Excel to generate INSERT SQL code that you can past into Query Analyzer to create your table.

Works well if you cant use the wizards because the excel file isn't on the server

You could use OPENROWSET, something like:

SELECT * FROM OPENROWSET('Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0', 
  'Excel 8.0;IMEX=1;HDR=NO;DATABASE=C:\FILE.xls', 'Select * from [Sheet1$]'

Just make sure the path is a path on the server, not your local machine.

By 'the wiz' I'm assuming you're talking about the 'SQL Server Import and Export Wizard'. (I'm also pretty new so I don't understand most questions, much less most answers, but I think I get this one). If so couldn't you take the spreadsheet, or a copy of it, delete the columns you don't want imported and then use the wizard?

I've always found the ability to do what I need with it and I'm only on SQL Server 2000 (not sure how other versions differ).

Edit: In fact I'm looking at it now and I seem to be able to choose which columns I want to map to which rows in an existing table. On the 'Select Source Tables and Views' screen I check the datasheet I'm using, select the 'Destination' then click the 'Edit...' button. From there you can choose the Excel column and the table column to map it to.

Microsoft Access is another option. You could have a Access database locally on your machine that you import the excel spreadsheets into (wizards available) and link to the the SQL Server database tables via ODBC.

You could then design a query in access that appends data from the Excel spreadsheet to the SQL Server Tables.

The import wizard does offer that option. You can either use the option to write your own query for the data to import, or you can use the copy data option and use the "Edit Mappings" button to ignore columns you do not want to import.

I have used DTS (now known as SQL server Import and Export Wizard). I used the this tutorial which worked great for me even in Sql 2008 and excel 2010 (14.0)

I hope this helps

-D