Want to import data from XML file to SQL Server ?
Try Withdata FileToDB, a desktop XML to SQL Server converter for Windows, MacOS, and Linux, Convert XML 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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Linux .deb (For Debian, Ubuntu) 64 bit
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Import data from XML file to SQL Server
Login to SQL Server -> Choose XML file -> Set SQL Server table -> Import XML to SQL Server
Choose SQL Server and logon.
Click “Wizard – 1 File To 1 Table” at task dialog.
Select the “XML” file type.
then show the wizard.
1. Open a XML file.
Support large ( > 4GB ) XML file.
Here is the file’s content.
2. Select a SQL Server table and config fields.
3. Preview data will be in SQL Server table.
4. Import XML data to SQL Server.
View imported data in SQL Server table
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
See Video: Import data from XML file to SQL Server table in a few clicks
See also:
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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