Import and Export Data with the SQL Server Import and Export Wizard

Article
02/28/2023

Applies to: SQL Server SSIS Integration Runtime in Azure Data Factory

SQL Server Import and Export Wizard is a simple way to copy data from a source to a destination. This overview describes the data sources that the wizard can use as sources and destinations, as well as the permissions you need to run the wizard.

Get the wizard

If you want to run the wizard, but you don't have Microsoft SQL Server installed on your computer, you can install the SQL Server Import and Export Wizard by installing SQL Server Data Tools (SSDT). For more info, see Download SQL Server Data Tools (SSDT).

What happens when I run the wizard?

See the list of steps. For a description of the steps in the wizard, see Steps in the SQL Server Import and Export Wizard. There's also a separate page of documentation for each page of the wizard.
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See an example. For a quick look at the several screens you see in a typical session, take a look at this simple example on a single page - Get started with this simple example of the Import and Export Wizard.

What sources and destinations can I use?

The SQL Server Import and Export Wizard can copy data to and from the data sources listed in the following table. To connect to some of these data sources, you may have to download and install additional files.

Data source	Do I have to download additional files?
Enterprise databases SQL Server, Oracle, DB2, and others.	SQL Server or SQL Server Data Tools (SSDT) installs the files that you need to connect to SQL Server. But SSDT doesn't install all the files that you need to connect to other enterprise databases such as Oracle or IBM DB2. To connect to an enterprise database, you typically have to have two things: 1. Client software. If you already have the client software installed for your enterprise database system, then you typically have what you need to make a connection. If you don't have the client software installed, ask the database administrator how to install a licensed copy. 2. Drivers or providers. Microsoft installs drivers and providers to connect to Oracle. To connect to IBM DB2, get the Microsoft OLEDB Provider for DB2 v5.0 for Microsoft SQL Server from the Microsoft SQL Server 2016 Feature Pack. For more info, see Connect to a SQL Server Data Source or Connect to an Oracle Data Source.
Text files (flat files)	No additional files required. For more info, see Connect to a Flat File Data Source.
Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Access files	Microsoft Office doesn't install all the files that you need to connect to Excel and Access files as data sources. Get the following download - Microsoft Access Database Engine 2016 Redistributable. For more info, see Connect to an Excel Data Source or Connect to an Access Data Source.
Azure data sources Currently only Azure Blob Storage.	SQL Server Data Tools don't install the files that you need to connect to Azure Blob Storage as a data source. Get the following download - Microsoft SQL Server 2016 Integration Services Feature Pack for Azure. For more info, see Connect to Azure Blob Storage.
Open source databases PostgreSQL, MySQL, and others.	To connect to these data sources, you have to download additional files. - For PostgreSQL, see Connect to a PostgreSQL Data Source. - For MySQL, see Connect to a MySQL Data Source.
Any other data source for which a driver or provider is available	You typically have to download additional files to connect to the following types of data sources. - Any source for which an ODBC driver is available. For more info, see Connect to an ODBC Data Source. - Any source for which a .Net Framework Data Provider is available. - Any source for which an OLE DB Provider is available. Third-party components that provide source and destination capabilities for other data sources are sometimes marketed as add-on products for SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS).

How do I connect to my data?

For info about how to connect to a commonly used data source, see one of the following pages:

For info about how to connect to a data source that's not listed here, see The Connection Strings Reference. This third-party site contains sample connection strings and more info about data providers and the connection info they require.

What permissions do I need?

To run the SQL Server Import and Export Wizard successfully, you have to have at least the following permissions. If you already work with your data source and destination, you probably already have the permissions that you need.

You need permissions to do these things	If you're connecting to SQL Server, you need these specific permissions
Connect to the source and destination databases or file shares.	Server and database login rights.
Export or read data from the source database or file.	SELECT permissions on the source tables and views.
Import or write data to the destination database or file.	INSERT permissions on the destination tables.
Create the destination database or file, if applicable.	CREATE DATABASE or CREATE TABLE permissions.
Save the SSIS package created by the wizard, if applicable.	If you want to save the package to SQL Server, permissions sufficient to save the package to the msdb database.

Get help while the wizard is running

Tip

Tap the F1 key from any page or dialog box of the wizard to see documentation for the current page.

The wizard uses SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS)

The wizard uses SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) to copy data. SSIS is a tool for extracting, transforming, and loading data (ETL). The pages of the wizard use some of the language of SSIS.

In SSIS, the basic unit is the package. The wizard creates an SSIS package in memory as you move through the pages of the wizard and specify options.

At the end of the wizard, if you have SQL Server Standard Edition or higher installed, you can optionally save the SSIS package. Later you can reuse the package and extend it by using SSIS Designer to add tasks, transformations, and event-driven logic. The SQL Server Import and Export Wizard is the simplest way to create a basic Integration Services package that copies data from a source to a destination.

For more info about SSIS, see SQL Server Integration Services.

What's next?

Start the wizard. For more info, see Start the SQL Server Import and Export Wizard.