Importing a text file containing dates

[Guest]

I have to import into my database a comma-delimited file containing lots of
dates. The dates are all in YYYYMMDD format. Since I will have to run lots of
queries on the resulting table where I have to do date comparisons, I'd like
to import all these dates as date columns. How can I do this in the quickest
way? At the moment, I am using TRANSFERTEXT to import the file but it leaves
the dates as text columns thus I cannot do any date comparisons on them.

 

[Ken Snell [MVP]]

Import the data into a temporary table. Then use an append query to copy the
data, in the desired format, into a permanent table. Use the data in the
permanent table for your queries.