SQL SELECT INTO Stateement is used to copies thw whole data OR SELECTED column data from one table [SOURCE TABLE] into a new table.

SELECT INTO Syntax

SELECT * INTO new_table [IN external DB]
FROM source_table
WHERE  [condition];

SELECT INTO Syntax [SELECTED COLUMNS]

SELECT column_1, column_2, .... 
INTO new_table
FROM source_table
WHERE  [condition];

Important Points of SELECT INTO

• The WHERE condition is optional to use along with SELECT INTO statement.
• The number of columns and datatype of columns must be same.
• The SELECT INTO statement can be also used to create a new empty table using the schema of another.
• SQL SELECT INTO used to create a table structure with oppropriate data types & INSERT data into in empty table.

EXAMPLE: SQL SELECT INTO

Employee Table

A sample of EMPLOYEE records table & the name of table Employee. The column(s) of the Employee table [ID, EMPLOYEE_NAME, EMPLOYEE_EMAIL, ADDRESS, CITY, and COUNTRY]:

SELECT INTO Example

SELECT * 
INTO backUp_Employee
FROM Employee;

The command will create a new table [backUp_Employee] similar to "Employee" table, And the name of table is backUp_Employee

Result Look Like

SELECT INTO Example [colums]

SELECT EMPLOYEE_NAME, CITY, COUNTRY
INTO backUp_Employee
FROM Employee;

Result Look Like