Convert CSV to PostgreSQL
Drop your CSV file to get a PostgreSQL script with CREATE TABLE and INSERT statements. Each column gets a type, and every fix is listed with its row and column.
5 rows converted, 8 fixes, none rejected
| Row | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 00412 | Peña Muñoz | Mérida | 15/02/2024 | 1.234,50 | sí |
| 6 | 00413 | José Ángel Ruiz | León | 03/02/2024 | 99,90 | no |
| 7 | 00414 | Zoë Ortíz | Querétaro | 29/02/2024 | N/A | sí |
| 8 | 00415 | Ñuño Castañeda | Oaxaca | 28/02/2024 | 7,25 | no |
| 9 | 00416 | Iñaki Olaizola | Mazatlán | 11/03/2024 | 980,75 | sí |
-- Written by IntoSQL for PostgreSQL.
SET client_encoding = 'UTF8';
BEGIN;
CREATE TABLE ventas_2024 (
folio text NOT NULL,
cliente text NOT NULL,
ciudad text NOT NULL,
fecha date NOT NULL,
importe numeric(6,2),
pagado boolean NOT NULL
);
INSERT INTO ventas_2024 (folio, cliente, ciudad, fecha, importe, pagado) VALUES
('00412', 'Peña Muñoz', 'Mérida', '2024-02-15', 1234.50, TRUE),
('00413', 'José Ángel Ruiz', 'León', '2024-02-03', 99.90, FALSE),
('00414', 'Zoë Ortíz', 'Querétaro', '2024-02-29', NULL, TRUE),
('00415', 'Ñuño Castañeda', 'Oaxaca', '2024-02-28', 7.25, FALSE),
('00416', 'Iñaki Olaizola', 'Mazatlán', '2024-03-11', 980.75, TRUE);
COMMIT;
Fixes
- The file was written in windows‑1252; it was converted to UTF-8.
- The header is on row 4; the rows above it were left out.
- Row 10 ("TOTAL") is a total, so it was left out.
- Leading zeros kept in "Folio": 00412 stays 00412, stored as text.
- 15/02/2024 proves the dates in "Fecha" are day-first, so 03/02/2024 is read as 2024‑02‑03.
- Numbers in "Importe" use a decimal comma: 1.234,50 is read as 1234.50.
- N/A in "Importe" read as empty (1 of 5 values).
- "Pagado" holds yes and no words (sí, no), stored as boolean.
Your file is converted on this computer and never uploaded.
Other samples:
From CSV to PostgreSQL, column by column
The sample above, ventas_2024.csv, as IntoSQL writes it for PostgreSQL: what each column holds in the file, the type it gets and how its first value lands in the script.
| In the file | First value | Column | PostgreSQL type | In the script |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Folio | 00412 | folio | text | '00412' |
| Cliente | Peña Muñoz | cliente | text | 'Peña Muñoz' |
| Ciudad | Mérida | ciudad | text | 'Mérida' |
| Fecha | 15/02/2024 | fecha | date | '2024-02-15' |
| Importe | 1.234,50 | importe | numeric(6,2) | 1234.50 |
| Pagado | sí | pagado | boolean | TRUE |
Load the script into PostgreSQL
The download is a plain .sql file. Run it with PostgreSQL's own tools.
From a terminal
psql -v ON_ERROR_STOP=1 -d mydb -f ventas_2024.postgresql.sqlON_ERROR_STOP makes psql stop at the first error. The script runs in one transaction, so a failed load leaves the database as it was.
From a database tool
In pgAdmin or DBeaver, open the script in a query window and run it.
Without a scriptPro
IntoSQL Pro loads the file straight into PostgreSQL from the desktop app or the command line, without writing a script.
intosql load ventas_2024.csv --into postgres://user@localhost/mydbWhat to know about CSV files and PostgreSQL
What IntoSQL reads in CSV files
- The encoding is detected, Windows-1252 and UTF-16 included, so accents and ñ arrive intact.
- The separator is detected: comma, semicolon, tab or vertical bar. With a semicolon, decimal commas like 1.234,50 are read as numbers.
- Quoted values can hold separators and line breaks.
What to know about PostgreSQL
- Decimals keep their exact digits as numeric(p,s), and dates with an offset become timestamptz.
- PostgreSQL text can't hold the NUL character, so it is removed from the values that have one.
- The script runs in one transaction, so a load that fails leaves nothing half done.
How each kind of value is stored in PostgreSQL
| Value | PostgreSQL |
|---|---|
| Yes and no | boolean |
| Whole numbers | integer |
| Large whole numbers | bigint |
| Decimals | numeric(p,s) |
| Floating-point numbers | double precision |
| Dates | date |
| Times of day | time |
| Dates with a time | timestamp |
| Dates with a time and offset | timestamptz |
| Text | text |
Questions about CSV to PostgreSQL
Not answered here? Write to us from the contact page and a person replies. Contact page
How do I convert CSV to PostgreSQL?
Drop your file on the converter at the top of this page. It finds the header, reads every value and writes the PostgreSQL script, listing each fix it made. Download the script and run it with psql.
What if my CSV uses semicolons or tabs?
The separator is detected: comma, semicolon, tab or vertical bar. You can also set it under More options. With a semicolon, decimal commas such as 1.234,50 are read as numbers.
Which PostgreSQL types does it use?
Yes and no values become boolean, whole numbers integer, decimals numeric(p,s), dates date, dates with a time timestamp and text text. Sizes come from the longest value in each column.
Does it keep leading zeros in PostgreSQL?
Yes. A code such as 00412 stays text, so PostgreSQL stores it as text and the script writes it as '00412'.
Can it load the data into PostgreSQL without a script?
Yes, with IntoSQL Pro. The desktop app and the command line connect to PostgreSQL and load the rows straight in, creating the table first.
How big can the CSV file be?
The browser reads a CSV as it streams in, so files of several gigabytes work. On an Apple M4 laptop the command line converts a 174 MB CSV of a million rows in under a second.