How to Efficiently Copy Data Between Tables with Identical or Different Schemas in SQL Server?

Efficient SQL Server Data Transfer Between Tables

This guide demonstrates how to efficiently move data between SQL Server tables, handling both identical and differing schemas.

For tables with matching structures, a single, concise INSERT...SELECT statement suffices:

<code class="language-sql">INSERT INTO targetTable
SELECT * FROM sourceTable;</code>

This elegantly copies all data from sourceTable into targetTable.

However, when schemas diverge, explicit column mapping is crucial:

<code class="language-sql">INSERT INTO targetTable (columnA, columnB, columnC)
SELECT columnX, columnY, columnZ
FROM sourceTable;</code>

Remember to replace targetTable and sourceTable with your actual table names, and align the column names (columnA, columnB, columnC) in the INSERT clause with their corresponding counterparts (columnX, columnY, columnZ) in the SELECT statement. This ensures only the necessary columns are transferred. This approach offers a clean and efficient method for data migration between tables with varying structures.

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