Bulk Insert vs. BCP Utility

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Bulk Insert vs. BCP Utility

EMtwo

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December 22, 2016 at 4:25 pm

#401256

What is the difference between Bulk Insert and BCP.
Which will be most effective in importing a bulk of data from flat file into sql server database?
Do both exist in SQl Server Management studio express?
Any help will be appreciated.

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Jeff Moden SSC Guru Points: 1004329 More actions · Answer 1

smatu (12/22/2016)
What is the difference between Bulk Insert and BCP.
Which will be most effective in importing a bulk of data from flat file into sql server database?
Do both exist in SQl Server Management studio express?
Any help will be appreciated.

These sound like interview questions. You should lookup "BULK INSERT" and "BCP" on Yabingooglehoo and learn something new. 😉 Another lookup with the warning that the internet can still be a well paved onramp to a dirt road is "Bulk Insert vs BCP".

--Jeff Moden

RBAR is pronounced "ree-bar" and is a "Modenism" for Row-By-Agonizing-Row.
First step towards the paradigm shift of writing Set Based code:
________Stop thinking about what you want to do to a ROW... think, instead, of what you want to do to a COLUMN.

Change is inevitable... Change for the better is not.

Helpful Links:
How to post code problems
How to Post Performance Problems
Create a Tally Function (fnTally)

johnwalker10 SSCrazy Eights Points: 9124 More actions · Answer 2

Bulk Insert can only insert and BCP can import and export.

Bulk Insert runs inside SQL Server and BCP runs outside

BCP Utility is more flexible than bulk insert - not just import and export, but you can shape the data that is moving

Jeff Moden SSC Guru Points: 1004329 More actions · Answer 3

johnwalker10 (12/25/2016)
Bulk Insert can only insert and BCP can import and export.
Bulk Insert runs inside SQL Server and BCP runs outside
BCP Utility is more flexible than bulk insert - not just import and export, but you can shape the data that is moving

I have to ask why you think that you can't "shape the data" that is moving with BULK INSERT. BULK INSERT can use the same BCP format files that BCP can. If it's not that, what feature are you talking about?

--Jeff Moden

RBAR is pronounced "ree-bar" and is a "Modenism" for Row-By-Agonizing-Row.
First step towards the paradigm shift of writing Set Based code:
________Stop thinking about what you want to do to a ROW... think, instead, of what you want to do to a COLUMN.

Change is inevitable... Change for the better is not.

Helpful Links:
How to post code problems
How to Post Performance Problems
Create a Tally Function (fnTally)