SQL SELECT INTO Statement

The SQL SELECT INTO Statement

The SELECT INTO statement copies data from one table into a new table.

SELECT INTO Syntax

Copy all columns into a new table:

SELECT *
INTO newtable [IN externaldb]
FROM oldtableWHERE condition;

Copy only some columns into a new table:

SELECT column1, column2, column3, ...
INTO newtable [IN externaldb]
FROM oldtableWHERE condition;

SQL SELECT INTO Examples

The following SQL statement creates a backup copy of Customers:

SELECT * INTO CustomersBackup2017
FROM Customers;

The following SQL statement uses the IN clause to copy the table into a new table in another database:

SELECT * INTO CustomersBackup2017 IN 'Backup.mdb'
FROM Customers;

SELECT * INTO CustomersGermany
FROM Customers
WHERE Country = 'Germany';

The following SQL statement copies data from more than one table into a new table:

SELECT Customers.CustomerName, Orders.OrderID
INTO CustomersOrderBackup2017
FROM Customers
LEFT JOIN Orders ON Customers.CustomerID = Orders.CustomerID;

Tip: SELECT INTO 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 oldtable
WHERE 1 = 0;