How to Convert CSV Data to SQL INSERT Statements
Step-by-step guide to converting CSV files into SQL INSERT statements. Covers data types, escaping, bulk inserts, and a free automated converter tool.
Why Convert CSV to SQL?
CSV (Comma-Separated Values) files are the most common format for exporting data from spreadsheets, databases, and other tools. But when you need to import that data into a SQL database, you need INSERT statements. Manually writing SQL for hundreds or thousands of rows is not practical.
The SQL INSERT Statement
-- Basic INSERT syntax
INSERT INTO table_name (column1, column2, column3)
VALUES ('value1', 'value2', 'value3');
-- Multiple rows
INSERT INTO users (name, email, age)
VALUES
('Alice Smith', 'alice@example.com', 28),
('Bob Johnson', 'bob@example.com', 34),
('Carol White', 'carol@example.com', 22);Data Type Handling
When converting CSV to SQL, each column's data type matters. Strings need quotes, numbers do not, and NULL values need special handling.
| CSV Value | SQL Type | SQL Output |
|---|---|---|
| Alice | VARCHAR/TEXT | 'Alice' |
| 28 | INTEGER | 28 |
| 3.14 | DECIMAL | 3.14 |
| true | BOOLEAN | TRUE |
| (empty) | NULL | NULL |
| 2026-02-18 | DATE | '2026-02-18' |
Common Pitfalls
- Forgetting to escape single quotes in string values (O'Brien becomes O''Brien)
- Not handling NULL values (empty CSV cells should become NULL, not empty strings)
- Wrong data type detection (zip codes like 07102 should be strings, not numbers)
- CSV files with different delimiters (semicolons, tabs) need proper parsing
- Character encoding issues with non-ASCII characters
Automate the Conversion
Our free CSV to SQL converter handles all of this automatically. Paste your CSV data and get properly formatted INSERT statements with auto-detected data types, proper escaping, and NULL handling.
Free CSV to SQL Converter
Convert CSV data to SQL INSERT statements with auto type detection and proper escaping.
Try it freeRelated Articles
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