How to import CSV into Microsoft Access database?

  1. Open or create a new database for the CSV data.
  2. You may create a new table and prepare all the fields needed or you may just import the CSV data to create the new table.
  3. Go to the “External Data” tab on Microsoft Access, as shown in the screenshot below and click on the “Text File”.
    Import CSV into Microsoft Access Database
  4. The “Get External Data”, screenshot will be shown below. Select the CSV file by clicking the “Browse” button. (*Note: the file name must be less than 64 characters otherwise Microsoft Access will not be able to import it).
    Import CSV into Microsoft Access Database
  5. After selecting the CSV file, if you created your own table, choose the “Append a copy of the records to the table.” option and select the table from the drop-down list. If you did not create your own table then you will need to choose “Import the source data into a new table in the current database.” option. After selecting the option, press “K” to continue.
  6. Next, make sure the option “Delimited – Characters such as comma or tab separate each field” is selected as shown in screenshot below and click “Next”.
    Import CSV into Microsoft Access Database
  7. Next, make sure “Comma” is selected in the “Choose the delimiter that separates your fields” and the double quotes symbol ” is selected in the “Text Qualifier” as shown in screenshot below and click “Next” to continue.
    *Note: Users who created their own table with their own field names may skip the rest and click “Next” or “Finish” to complete the import in step 7.
    import CSV into Microsoft Access database
  8. In this window (See screenshot below), choose the field and type in the field name for each of the columns for the CSV data and click “Next” to proceed.
    Import CSV into Microsoft Access Database
  9. In this step, you may choose to add a primary key to the table, choose a field as a primary key or no primary key for the table. Adding a primary key to the table will add another column on the left, choosing a field as a primary key will let users choose a field from the drop-down list as the primary key. You will have to choose based on how you use the table. After selecting your option, click “Next” or “Finish to complete the import.
    Import CSV into Microsoft Access Database
  10. Done.

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