Want to import data from XML file to SQL Server ?
Try Withdata FileToDB, a desktop to SQL Server converter for Windows, MacOS, and Linux, Convert to SQL Server, 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.
- Import XML to SQL Server locally and privately, avoid uploading XML file(s) to online services.
- Support Windows, Linux, and macOS.
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Import data from XML file to SQL Server in 4 steps
Choose XML file -> Set SQL Server table -> Preview -> Import
Choose SQL Server and logon.
Click “Wizard – 1 File To 1 Table” at task dialog.
Select the “XML” file type.
then show the wizard.
Step #1. Open an XML file.
Step #2. Select a table and config fields.
Step #3. Preview data.
Step #4. Import.
More about XML to SQL Server converter
Download Withdata FileToDB
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
XML → SQL Server reference
Type mapping
| Value kind | in XML | in SQL Server |
|---|---|---|
| Int | <int>1234</int> | int |
| Bigint | <bigint>9007199254740993</bigint> | bigint |
| Decimal | <decimal>1234.56</decimal> | decimal(p,s) |
| Float | <float>1.234e10</float> | float |
| Text | <char>text</char> | nvarchar(n) |
| Long text | <text>multi-line text</text> (entities for & <) | nvarchar(max) |
| Date | <date>2026-09-18</date> (xs:date with an XSD) | date |
| Datetime | <datetime>2026-09-18T14:30:00Z</datetime> (xs:dateTime) | datetime2 |
| Binary | <blob>base64...</blob> (xs:base64Binary) | varbinary(max) |
| Boolean | <bool>true</bool> | bit |
| JSON | escaped inside an element, or its own sub-tree | nvarchar(max) |
Dialect differences
XML is a file format and SQL Server is a database server, so the target has to be told the types the file never carried - the rows below are where the two sides diverge.
| Property | in XML | in SQL Server |
|---|---|---|
| port | — | 1433 |
| identifiers | Attribute values in quotes; entities (& < >) for ... | [square brackets] |
| row limit | — | SELECT TOP n |
| dates | Text (xs:date / xs:dateTime when an XSD is in play) | datetime, datetime2, date, time |
| long text | — | nvarchar(max) |
| binary | base64Binary / hexBinary inside text | varbinary(max) |
| separator | Tags, not delimiters | — |
| encoding | Declared in the XML declaration | — |
| typing | None in the markup itself | — |
| shape | Arbitrary tree | Tables of rows and columns |
| ceiling | Whole document is usually parsed into memory | — |
Command line
| Side | Command |
|---|---|
| SQL Server | bcp |
| SQL Server (load) | bcp, or BULK INSERT |
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