Want to export data from SQL Server query to TSV file?
Try Withdata DBToFile, a SQL Server to TSV converter for Windows, Linux, and macOS, Export SQL Server data to TSV, Easy and Fast.
- Can run in GUI mode, Step by Step, just a few mouse clicks.
- Can run in Command line, for Scheduled Tasks and Streams.
- Support Windows, Linux, and macOS.
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Linux .deb (For Debian, Ubuntu) 64 bit
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Export data from SQL Server query to TSV file
Login to SQL Server -> Enter SQL Server query -> Set TSV file options -> Export SQL Server query to TSV
Choose SQL Server and logon.
Click “Export From Query” at task dialog.
Select TSV file type.
1. Enter SQL Server query.
2. Set TSV file options.
3. Set rows options.
4. Export SQL Server query results to TSV file.
After exporting, you can view output TSV files.
More about SQL Server to TSV converter
Download Withdata DBToFile
Windows 64 bit
Windows 32 bit
Linux .deb (For Debian, Ubuntu) 64 bit
Linux .rpm (For Red Hat, Fedora, SUSE) 64 bit
MacOS 64 bit
See also:
- Export SQL Server table to TSV
- Export multiple similar SQL Server tables to one TSV file
- Batch export SQL Server tables to TSV files
SQL Server → TSV reference
Type mapping
| Value kind | in SQL Server | in TSV |
|---|---|---|
| Int | int | 1234 |
| Bigint | bigint | 9007199254740993 |
| Decimal | decimal(p,s) | 1234.56 |
| Float | float | 1.234e+10 |
| Text | nvarchar(n) | unquoted; a tab in the value splits the column |
| Long text | nvarchar(max) | unquoted; newlines break the row |
| Date | date | 2026-09-18 |
| Datetime | datetime2 | 2026-09-18 14:30:00 |
| Binary | varbinary(max) | not representable |
| Boolean | bit | TRUE / FALSE |
| JSON | nvarchar(max) | the whole JSON value as-is (its own quotes stay) |
Dialect differences
SQL Server is a database server and TSV is a file format, so the gap is wider than a dialect difference - the rows below are where values and structure stop lining up.
| Property | in SQL Server | in TSV |
|---|---|---|
| port | 1433 | — |
| identifiers | [square brackets] | Rarely used, which is exactly why tabs in data break it |
| row limit | SELECT TOP n | — |
| dates | datetime, datetime2, date, time | Conventional text: 2026-09-18 or 2026-09-18 14:30:00 |
| long text | nvarchar(max) | — |
| binary | varbinary(max) | Not supported - must be encoded |
| separator | — | Tab |
| encoding | — | No declaration - UTF-8 works only with a BOM |
| typing | — | None - every field is text |
| shape | Tables of rows and columns | Flat table, optional header row |
| ceiling | — | No formal limit |
Command line
| Side | Command |
|---|---|
| SQL Server | bcp |
| SQL Server (load) | bcp, or BULK INSERT |
Convert your data online, free
Free in-browser converters for CSV, Excel, JSON, XML and SQL: Withdata Online Data Conversion. Large files, batch conversion or scheduling? See the offline desktop apps, or browse all data conversion tools.
New to the format? Read what a TSV file is (and how it differs from CSV).