How to convert a semicolon-delimited file to SQL
A semicolon-delimited file separates columns with ; instead of a comma — the format Excel produces in many European locales, where the comma is reserved as the decimal point. SQLified detects the semicolon automatically and converts the file into a clean CREATE TABLE + INSERT script for whichever database you choose.
- Drop your file onto the converter above — SQLified auto-detects the
;separator. - Choose a database (PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQL Server, or SQLite) and review the inferred schema.
- Generate the SQL — a
CREATE TABLEplus batchedINSERTstatements. - Run it in your database client.
Why European CSVs use semicolons
In locales like Germany, France, and much of Europe, numbers are written as 1.299,90 — the comma is the decimal separator. Using a comma to also separate columns would be ambiguous, so spreadsheets switch to the semicolon. The result is a .csv file that's actually semicolon-delimited — which trips up tools expecting commas. SQLified just detects it and moves on.
What the generated SQL looks like
CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS "orders" (
"order_id" INTEGER NOT NULL,
"customer" TEXT NOT NULL,
"order_date" DATE NOT NULL,
"total" NUMERIC(18,2) NOT NULL
);
INSERT INTO "orders" ("order_id", "customer", "order_date", "total") VALUES
('5001', 'Müller GmbH', '2026-01-04', '1299.90'),
('5002', 'Dupont SARL', '2026-02-11', '349.50');Identifiers are double-quoted (PostgreSQL shown); pick MySQL, SQL Server, or SQLite for backticks, brackets, or SQLite affinity instead.
Large files import without errors
SQLified handles millions of rows and batches the INSERT output into 1,000-row statements, so even big exports import cleanly across every database — including SQL Server's hard 1,000-row-per-INSERT limit.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my CSV separated by semicolons?
In many European locales the comma is the decimal separator (e.g. 1.299,90), so spreadsheets use a semicolon as the field separator instead to avoid clashes. Excel exports these ;-separated files as .csv. SQLified detects the semicolon automatically.
Which databases can it target?
All four: PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQL Server, and SQLite. Choose the dialect in the converter and SQLified generates matching CREATE TABLE + INSERT statements with the right types and quoting.
Do I need to convert it to comma-separated first?
No. Drop the semicolon-delimited file as-is — SQLified detects the delimiter and parses the columns correctly without any find-and-replace.
Can it handle large files?
Yes — millions of rows, with INSERT output batched into 1,000-row statements so even large exports import cleanly, including into SQL Server's 1,000-row limit.
Is my file uploaded?
No. The conversion runs entirely in your browser and your file is never sent anywhere.