Excel Import to SQL Server using Distributed Queries

Introduction

This article describes the complete steps for Microsoft Excel data import to SQL Server using distributed queries technique.

The article describes the steps for all modern platforms:

  • Microsoft SQL Server 2005-2016 on the x86/x64 platform.
  • Microsoft Excel 2003-2016 files like *.xls, *.xlsx, *.xlsm, *.xlsb.

Bonus

You can develop amazing Microsoft Excel applications for working with Microsoft SQL Server using database development skills only!

Visit www.savetodb.com, download and install SaveToDB Add-In for Microsoft Excel.

That's all!

Connect to tables, views, and stored procedures, edit the data and save it back to a database.
Add features to your Microsoft Excel applications step by step configuring apps via SQL.

Table of Contents

The Basics of Excel Data Import to SQL Server

To import data from Microsoft Excel to SQL Server OPENROWSET and OPENDATASOURCE functions with OLE DB data source can be used.

The basic format for the Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0 provider is:

SELECT * FROM OPENROWSET('Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0',
  'Excel 8.0;Database=C:\excel-sql-server.xls', [Sheet1$])
SELECT * FROM OPENDATASOURCE('Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0',
  'Data Source=C:\excel-sql-server.xls;Extended Properties=Excel 8.0')...[Sheet1$]

The basic format for the Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.16.0 provider is:

SELECT * FROM OPENROWSET('Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.16.0',
  'Excel 12.0;Database=C:\excel-sql-server.xlsx', [Sheet1$])
SELECT * FROM OPENDATASOURCE('Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.16.0',
  'Data Source=C:\excel-sql-server.xlsx;Extended Properties=Excel 12.0')...[Sheet1$]

The Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0 provider is used with 32-bit SQL Server for Excel 2003 files.

The Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.16.0 provider is used with 64-bit SQL Server for any Excel files or 32-bit SQL Server for Excel 2007 files.

Pay attention that "Excel 12.0" string is used, not "Excel 14.0" as some MSDN resources say.

Configuration Steps for Excel Data Import to SQL Server

#StepSQL Server x86
for Excel 2003
files *.xls		SQL Server x86
for Excel 2007
files *.xlsx, etc.		SQL Server x64
for any Excel
version files
1Install Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.16.0 drivernot neededx86x64
2Configure Ad Hoc Distributed Queriesyesyesyes
3Grant rights to TEMP directoryyesyesnot needed
4Configure ACE OLE DB propertiesnot neededyesyes

Install Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.16.0 driver

To import Excel 2007-2016 files to SQL Server Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.16.0 driver should be installed.

Don't worry about "Access" in the name.

Warning! x64 driver can not be installed if Microsoft Office 2007-2016 x86 is already installed!

So, there is no way to import Excel data to SQL Server x64 using OPENROWSET/OPENDATASOURCE functions on a machine with Microsoft Office x86!

The SQL Server Error Message if Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.16.0 is not installed

Msg 7403, Level 16, State 1, Line 1
The OLE DB provider "Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.16.0" has not been registered.

Configure Ad Hoc Distributed Queries

To configure Ad Hoc Distributed Queries use the following code:

sp_configure 'Show Advanced Options', 1;
RECONFIGURE;
GO
sp_configure 'Ad Hoc Distributed Queries', 1;
RECONFIGURE;
GO

The SQL Server Error Message if Ad Hoc Distributed Queries component is turned off

Msg 15281, Level 16, State 1, Line 1
SQL Server blocked access to STATEMENT 'OpenRowset/OpenDatasource' of component
'Ad Hoc Distributed Queries' because this component is turned off as part of
the security configuration for this server.
A system administrator can enable the use of 'Ad Hoc Distributed Queries'
by using sp_configure.
For more information about enabling 'Ad Hoc Distributed Queries',
see "Surface Area Configuration" in SQL Server Books Online.

Grant rights to TEMP directory

This step is required only for 32-bit SQL Server with any OLE DB provider.

The main problem is that an OLE DB provider creates a temporary file during the query in the SQL Server temp directory using credentials of a user who run the query.

The default directory for SQL Server is a default directory for SQL Server service account.

If SQL Server is run under Network Service account the temp directory is like:

C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\NetworkService\AppData\Local\Temp

If SQL Server is run under Local Service account the temp directory is like:

C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\LocalService\AppData\Local\Temp

Microsoft recommends two ways for the solution:

  1. A change of SQL Server TEMP directory and a grant of full rights for all users to this directory.
  2. Grant of read/write rights to the current SQL Server TEMP directory.

See details: PRB: "Unspecified error" Error 7399 Using OPENROWSET Against Jet Database

Usually, only a few accounts are used for import operations. So, we can just add rights for these accounts.

For example, icacls utility can be used for the rights setup:

icacls C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\NetworkService\AppData\Local\Temp /grant vs:(R,W)

if SQL Server is started under Network Service and login "vs" is used to run the queries.

The SQL Server Error Message if a user has no rights for SQL Server TEMP directory

OLE DB provider "Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0" for linked server "(null)" returned message "Unspecified error".
Msg 7303, Level 16, State 1, Line 1
Cannot initialize the data source object of OLE DB provider "Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0" for linked server "(null)".

Configure ACE OLE DB properties

This step is required only if the Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.16.0 provider is used.

Use the following T-SQL code:

EXEC sp_MSset_oledb_prop N'Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.16.0', N'AllowInProcess', 1
GO
EXEC sp_MSset_oledb_prop N'Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.16.0', N'DynamicParameters', 1
GO

The SQL Server Error Messages if OLE DB properties are not configured

Msg 7399, Level 16, State 1, Line 1
The OLE DB provider "Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.16.0" for linked server "(null)" reported an error. The provider did not give any information about the error.
Msg 7330, Level 16, State 2, Line 1
Cannot fetch a row from OLE DB provider "Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.16.0" for linked server "(null)".

How-To: Import Excel 2003 to SQL Server x86

Step 1. Configure Ad Hoc Distributed Queries

sp_configure 'Show Advanced Options', 1;
RECONFIGURE;
GO
sp_configure 'Ad Hoc Distributed Queries', 1;
RECONFIGURE;
GO

Step 2. Grant rights to TEMP directory

icacls C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\<SQL Server Account>\AppData\Local\Temp /grant <User>:(R,W)

The most commonly used paths:

C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\NetworkService\AppData\Local\Temp
C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\LocalService\AppData\Local\Temp

Use Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0 OPENROWSET format

SELECT * FROM OPENROWSET('Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0',
  'Excel 8.0;Database=C:\excel-sql-server.xls', [Sheet1$])

Use Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0 OPENDATASOURCE format

SELECT * FROM OPENDATASOURCE('Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0',
  'Data Source=C:\excel-sql-server.xls;Extended Properties=Excel 8.0')...[Sheet1$]

How-To: Import Excel 2007 to SQL Server x86

Step 1. Install the 32-bit Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.16.0 driver

Microsoft Access Database Engine 2016 Redistributable

Step 2. Configure Ad Hoc Distributed Queries

sp_configure 'Show Advanced Options', 1;
RECONFIGURE;
GO
sp_configure 'Ad Hoc Distributed Queries', 1;
RECONFIGURE;
GO

Step 3. Grant rights to TEMP directory

icacls C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\<SQL Server Account>\AppData\Local\Temp /grant <User>:(R,W)

The most commonly used paths:

C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\NetworkService\AppData\Local\Temp
C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\LocalService\AppData\Local\Temp

Step 4. Configure OLE DB properties

EXEC sp_MSset_oledb_prop N'Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.16.0', N'AllowInProcess', 1
GO
EXEC sp_MSset_oledb_prop N'Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.16.0', N'DynamicParameters', 1
GO

Use Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.16.0 OPENROWSET format

SELECT * FROM OPENROWSET('Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.16.0',
  'Excel 12.0;Database=C:\excel-sql-server.xlsx', [Sheet1$])

Use Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.16.0 OPENDATASOURCE format

SELECT * FROM OPENDATASOURCE('Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.16.0',
  'Data Source=C:\excel-sql-server.xlsx;Extended Properties=Excel 12.0')...[Sheet1$]

How-To: Import Excel 2003/2007 to SQL Server x64

Step 1. Install 64-bit Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.16.0 driver

Microsoft Access Database Engine 2016 Redistributable

Step 2. Configure Ad Hoc Distributed Queries

sp_configure 'Show Advanced Options', 1;
RECONFIGURE;
GO
sp_configure 'Ad Hoc Distributed Queries', 1;
RECONFIGURE;
GO

Step 3. Configure OLE DB properties

EXEC sp_MSset_oledb_prop N'Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.16.0', N'AllowInProcess', 1
GO
EXEC sp_MSset_oledb_prop N'Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.16.0', N'DynamicParameters', 1
GO

Use Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.16.0 OPENROWSET format

SELECT * FROM OPENROWSET('Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.16.0',
  'Excel 12.0;Database=C:\excel-sql-server.xlsx', [Sheet1$])

Use Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.16.0 OPENDATASOURCE format

SELECT * FROM OPENDATASOURCE('Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.16.0',
  'Data Source=C:\excel-sql-server.xlsx;Extended Properties=Excel 12.0')...[Sheet1$]

Conclusion

Using the described techniques you can import data from Microsof Excel 2003-2016 to SQL Server 2005-2016 on the 32-bit or 64-bit platform.

See Also