Microsoft Excel to Windows Azure SQL in 10 minutes

How do you import data into Windows Azure?

There is a pretty easy way to import data into Windows Azure using the SQL Server Management Studio Import/Export wizard. But, you have to use a little trick I came up with to make it work.

I found a sample project over at CodePlex by Derrick VanArnam that demonstrates how to import Microsoft Excel data into Windows Azure.

It has a sample Microsoft Excel file and a Microsoft Word document that walk you through using SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) for importing the Excel file into Azure.

In the video, I cover the following.

• Login to Windows Azure

• Create a SQL Server

• Create a Database

• Connect with Management Studio

• Show you a trick for Import/Export Wizard

• Move Data from Excel to Windows Azure

After you create a Windows Azure database, you will have to allow your IPAddress access through the Azure firewall.

Then, you open SQL Server Management Studio and connect to your database.

Now, create a new Azure database with the following script.

CREATE DATABASE [Olympics]
GO

It’s now time for the trick I mention.

By default, you won’t see the Import/Export wizard on the menus in the Azure connection.

You have to open up another connection in your Object Explorer in Management Studio. You should make this new connection a non-Azure database.

Then, you will see the Import/Export wizard.

Next, you will need to connect to the Excel File and the Azure Database.

One last trick, is to make sure your new tables have a clustered index.

Insert the following into each of your excel create table scripts as the first column.

id int identity primary key,

Finish the wizard and watch the data go into the tables.

That’s it. That is how you import data from Microsoft Excel to Windows Azure SQL database.

*Let me know what you think by commenting or sharing on twitter, Facebook, google+, etc.

You can visit me at any of the following:

SQL Training Online: https://www.sqltrainingonline.com

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/sql_by_joey

Google+: https://plus.google.com/#100925239624117719658/posts

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/joeyblue

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sqltrainingonline