SQL SELECT INTO Statement
With SQL, you can copy information from one table into another.
The SELECT INTO statement copies data from one table and inserts it into a new table.
The SQL SELECT INTO Statement
The SELECT INTO statement selects data from one table and inserts it into a new table.
SQL SELECT INTO Syntax
We can copy all columns into the new table:
SELECT *
INTO newtable [IN externaldb]
FROM table1;
Or we can copy only the columns we want into the new table:
SELECT column_name(s)
INTO newtable [IN externaldb]
FROM table1;
The new table will be created with the column-names and types as defined in the SELECT statement. You can apply new names using the AS clause.
SQL SELECT INTO Examples
Create a backup copy of Customers:
SELECT *
INTO CustomersBackup2013
FROM Customers;
Use the IN clause to copy the table into another database:
SELECT *
INTO CustomersBackup2013 IN 'Backup.mdb'
FROM Customers;
Copy only a few columns into the new table:
SELECT CustomerName,
ContactName
INTO CustomersBackup2013
FROM Customers;
Copy only the German customers into the new table:
SELECT *
INTO CustomersBackup2013
FROM Customers
WHERE Country='Germany';
Copy data from more than one table into the new table:
SELECT Customers.CustomerName, Orders.OrderID
INTO CustomersOrderBackup2013
FROM Customers
LEFT JOIN Orders
ON Customers.CustomerID=Orders.CustomerID;
Tip: The SELECT INTO statement can also be used to create a new, empty table using the schema of another. Just add a WHERE clause that causes the query to return no data:
SELECT *
INTO newtable
FROM table1
WHERE 1=0;