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To import an Excel worksheet into an on-premises SQL Server database, connect in SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS), right-click the destination database, and choose Tasks > Import Data. Select the workbook as the source and SQL Server as the destination, map the worksheet to a table, inspect the column mappings and preview, then run the import. Check provider compatibility and inferred data types before proceeding: either can prevent the wizard from connecting or affect the imported data.
Before you start
- Make sure the workbook is accessible from the computer running the wizard. Microsoft documents support for a local file path or a network share path, but the wizard cannot open a password-protected workbook. Microsoft Learn: Connect to an Excel Data Source
- Know the SQL Server instance and destination database, and have the connection details and access you need. The destination setup requires the server, authentication method, and database. Microsoft Learn: Import and Export Wizard example
- If Microsoft Excel is missing from the source list, check the wizard and Excel provider architecture before changing workbook settings. The version-specific details are in the troubleshooting section below.
Open the Import Data wizard
- In SSMS, connect to an instance of the SQL Server Database Engine.
- In Object Explorer, expand Databases, right-click the destination database, and select Tasks > Import Data.
These are Microsoft’s documented launch steps for the wizard. Microsoft Learn: Start the SQL Server Import and Export Wizard
Set Excel as the source
- On the source selection page, choose Microsoft Excel.
- Browse to the workbook, select the Excel version that matches the file and installed connectivity components, and set First row has column names to match the sheet.
- Continue to the source selection page and choose the worksheet or named range to import. A worksheet is commonly shown with a
$suffix. The wizard also supports an explicitly specified cell range.
The header setting changes what the wizard imports. If the first row contains headings and the option is off, those headings are treated as data. If the sheet has no headings and the option is on, its first data row is treated as column names and is not imported as a record. With no specified headers, the wizard can use names such as F1 and F2. Check the preview to confirm that the first row is interpreted correctly. Microsoft Learn: Excel source settings
Set SQL Server as the destination and choose what to copy
- Select the SQL Server destination provider and enter the server name, authentication details, and database.
- On Specify Table Copy or Query, choose the table-copy option for a whole worksheet or named range. Choose the query option when you need to select particular data or use an explicit range.
- On the source and destination selection page, map the selected worksheet or range to a new or existing SQL Server table. If the wizard proposes a generated table name, change it to a suitable SQL name if needed.
The wizard’s walkthrough covers destination connection details and mapping a source to a destination table. Microsoft Learn: Wizard walkthrough
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Review mappings and preview before running
Use Edit Mappings to inspect the destination columns and their data types. Use Preview to check that the selected rows and headers look right. Pay particular attention to dates, numeric values, nullable columns, and text fields that may contain long entries. Then proceed through the execution pages and review the wizard’s outcome.
Data types may be inferred from sampled Excel values rather than from every value in the column. Microsoft warns that if sampling does not reveal text longer than 255 characters, the driver may choose a 255-character string type; longer values may then be truncated. This is a possible driver behavior, not a guarantee that every import will truncate data. Inspect the mappings and verify important long-text values after import. Microsoft Learn: Excel data type and truncation behavior
Why Microsoft Excel may be missing from the source list
The wizard can only use Excel connectivity components available to it, and provider architecture matters. General guidance notes that Excel providers are often 32-bit and may not appear in a 64-bit wizard. The current version-specific guidance is different for some setups: Microsoft says the wizard with SSMS 21 and SQL Server 2025 supports only 64-bit, and directs users to ACE OLEDB 16.0 for Excel connectivity in that environment. Do not assume a 32-bit wizard is a viable workaround for those versions.
The Excel version dropdown is not proof that the matching provider is installed; it may list versions unsupported by the connectivity components on the computer. Check the wizard version, its architecture, and installed provider before retrying the import. Microsoft Learn: Excel provider and version guidance Microsoft Learn: SSMS 21 and SQL Server 2025 note
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Other limits and options
Password-protected workbooks
The wizard cannot open a password-protected Excel workbook. If your organization permits it, arrange an authorized import copy that is not password-protected and handle it according to your data-protection rules. Microsoft Learn: Excel source connection limits
Multiple worksheets
Microsoft’s overview says these tools typically need to be run once per worksheet. Plan for separate imports when a workbook contains several sheets you need to transfer. Microsoft Learn: Import Data from Excel to SQL Server or Azure SQL Database
Azure SQL Database
Microsoft’s overview says direct import from Excel to Azure SQL Database is unavailable. Save the worksheet as a CSV file and use a supported text-import route instead. This limitation concerns Azure SQL Database; it should not be generalized to on-premises SQL Server. Microsoft Learn: Excel import options
Repeatable or customized imports
For recurring work, the wizard’s settings can be saved as an SSIS package and customized for reuse. A package adds setup and maintenance work, but is a better fit than repeating a one-off wizard flow when the transfer needs to be repeatable. Microsoft Learn: Reusing wizard settings
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