6.4 — Excel to SQL Migration

What You'll Learn

• How to translate multi-sheet Excel workflows into SQL joins
• Practical steps for moving from spreadsheets to databases
• Benefits and tips for a smooth transition

Why Migrate Multi-Table Analysis to SQL?

• Handle complex relationships without manual VLOOKUPs
• Automate and scale your analysis
• Collaborate with your team on a single source of truth

Common Excel Multi-Sheet Tasks and Their SQL Equivalents

Excel Task	SQL Equivalent
VLOOKUP across sheets	JOIN across tables
Combine multiple tables	Multiple JOIN statements
Remove duplicates	SELECT DISTINCT
Filter after joining	WHERE clause after JOIN

Example: From Excel to SQL

Excel:
Combine sales, product, and customer info using VLOOKUPs.

SQL:

SELECT s.SaleID, s.Amount, p.ProductName, c.CustomerName
FROM sales s
INNER JOIN products p
  ON s.ProductID = p.ProductID
INNER JOIN customers c
  ON s.CustomerID = c.CustomerID;

Tips for a Smooth Migration

• Start by mapping your Excel sheets to database tables.
• Replicate your most common reports using SQL joins.
• Use views or saved queries for reusable analysis.
• Document your queries for future reference.

Key Points

• SQL joins replace complex, error-prone VLOOKUPs across sheets.
• Migrating to SQL saves time and reduces errors for large or recurring analysis.

Next Steps

Congratulations! You’ve completed the core modules. You’re ready to analyze business data at scale with SQL.