Import CSV into Access
SQL, VBA macro
and wizard guide.
Import CSV into Microsoft Access. CSVShift generates Access SQL with the correct data types (COUNTER, TEXT, LONG, YESNO) and a ready-to-run VBA DoCmd.TransferText macro. Plus a step-by-step Access import wizard guide. Your data never leaves your browser.
Import CSV with the Access wizard
The built-in Access import wizard — no SQL or VBA required for one-off imports.
- Open your Access database (.accdb)
- Click the External Data tab in the ribbon
- Click New Data Source → From File → Text File
- Browse to your CSV file, click OK
- Select Delimited and click Next
- Set delimiter to Comma, check First Row Contains Field Names
- Review field data types — change any incorrect ones, click Next
- Choose Let Access add primary key or No primary key, click Next
- Enter the target table name, click Finish
Access data types — what CSVShift infers
How CSV column values map to Access field types.
| Access type | When used | Max value |
|---|---|---|
| COUNTER | Auto-increment primary key (ID field) | 2,147,483,647 |
| TEXT(n) | Short strings — column values up to 255 chars | 255 chars |
| MEMO | Long text — column values over 255 chars | 65,536 chars |
| LONG | Integer column — all values are whole numbers | ±2,147,483,647 |
| DOUBLE | Decimal column — all values are floating-point | ±1.797×10³⁰⁸ |
| YESNO | Boolean — all values are true/false/yes/no | TRUE / FALSE |
| DATETIME | Date column — all values match date pattern | #MM/DD/YYYY# |
Automate with VBA DoCmd.TransferText
For recurring imports — run the macro whenever the CSV updates.
When do you need CSV to Access?
Small business data management
Many small businesses use Access as a lightweight database for inventory, customer records and order management. CSV exports from point-of-sale systems, e-commerce platforms and accounting software need to be imported into Access tables for reporting and querying.
Recurring CSV imports
The VBA DoCmd.TransferText macro automates CSV import — assign it to a button or run it from a scheduled task. When the CSV updates daily or weekly, one click imports the new data without going through the import wizard each time.
Legacy system migration
Organisations migrating from spreadsheets or legacy systems to Access need to bulk-import historical CSV data. The generated SQL with correct Access types avoids the import wizard's type inference errors on mixed-format data.
Access + Excel reporting
Access is often used as the backend database with Excel as the reporting front end. Importing CSV data into Access first enables SQL queries, relationships and data validation before the data reaches Excel dashboards.
Related CSV tools
Access SQL + VBA
generated in your browser. No upload.
Microsoft Access .accdb is a proprietary binary format (Jet/ACE engine) that cannot be created in a browser. CSVShift generates the next best thing: Access SQL with the correct dialect — COUNTER for auto-increment, YESNO for booleans, MEMO for long text, date literals with # delimiters — and a complete VBA DoCmd.TransferText macro for automated imports.
Access SQL dialect
VBA DoCmd macro
Import wizard guide
Free, no conditions
How do I import a CSV file into Microsoft Access?
How do I automate CSV import into Access with VBA?
DoCmd.TransferText acImportDelim, , "TableName", "C:\file.csv", True. Open the VBA editor (Alt+F11), insert a Module, paste the generated macro, and run it with F5.