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SQL INSERT INTO SELECT Statement

The SQL INSERT INTO SELECT Statement

The INSERT INTO SELECT statement copies data from one table and inserts it into another table.

The INSERT INTO SELECT statement requires that the data types in source and target tables match.


The existing records in the target table are unaffected.

INSERT INTO SELECT Syntax

Copy all columns from one table to another table: 

INSERT INTO table2
SELECT * 
FROM table1
WHERE condition

Copy only some columns from one table into another table: 

INSERT INTO table2 (column1, column2, column3, ...)
SELECT column1, column2, column3, ...
FROM table1
WHERE condition

Demo Database

In this tutorial we will use the well-known Northwind sample database.

Below is a selection from the "Customers" table:

CustomerIDCustomerNameContactNameAddressCityPostalCodeCountry
1Alfreds FutterkisteMaria AndersObere Str. 57Berlin12209Germany
2Ana Trujillo Emparedados y heladosAna TrujilloAvda. de la Constitución 2222México D.F.5021Mexico
3Antonio Moreno TaqueríaAntonio MorenoMataderos 2312México D.F.5023Mexico
4Around the HornThomas Hardy120 Hanover Sq.LondonWA1 1DPUK
5Berglunds snabbköpChristina BerglundBerguvsvägen 8LuleåS-958 22Sweden

And a selection from the "Suppliers" table:

SupplierIDSupplierNameContactNameAddressCityPostalCodeCountryPhone
1Exotic LiquidCharlotte Cooper49 Gilbert St.LondonaEC1 4SDUK(171) 555-2222
2New Orleans Cajun DelightsShelley BurkeP.O. Box 78934New Orleans70117USA(100) 555-4822
3Grandma Kelly's HomesteadRegina Murphy707 Oxford Rd.Ann Arbor48104USA(313) 555-5735
4Tokyo TradersYoshi Nagase9-8 Sekimai Musashino-shiTokyo100Japan(03) 3555-5011
5Cooperativa de Quesos 'Las Cabras'Antonio del Valle SaavedraCalle del Rosal 4Oviedo33007Spain(98) 598 76 54

SQL INSERT INTO SELECT Examples

The following SQL statement copies "Suppliers" into "Customers" (the columns that are not filled with data, will contain NULL): 

INSERT INTO Customers (CustomerName, City, Country)
SELECT SupplierName, City, Country 
FROM Suppliers

The following SQL statement copies "Suppliers" into "Customers" (fill all columns): 

INSERT INTO Customers (CustomerName, ContactName, Address, City, PostalCode, Country)
SELECT SupplierName, ContactName, Address, City, PostalCode, Country 
FROM Suppliers

The following SQL statement copies only the German suppliers into "Customers": 

INSERT INTO Customers (CustomerName, City, Country)
SELECT SupplierName, City, Country 
FROM Suppliers
WHERE Country = 'Germany'
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