The select list for the INSERT statement contains fewer items than the insert list. The number of SELECT values must match the number of INSERT columns.

Suppose we have created a table tblOrder and inserted some data into it in sql server

CREATE TABLE tblOrder(

     OrderId INT PRIMARY KEY,

     OrderName VARCHAR(100)

)

INSERT tblOrder VALUES(1,'PC'),(2,'Laptop')

There is another table tblOrderHistory:

CREATE TABLE tblOrderHistory(

     OrderId INT,

     OrderName VARCHAR(100),

     HistoryDate DATETIME DEFAULT(GETDATE())

)

Now if we will execute following sql query:

INSERT INTO tblOrderHistory(OrderId,OrderName,HistoryDate)

SELECT * FROM tblOrder

We will get error message like:

The select list for the INSERT statement contains fewer items than the insert list. The number of SELECT values must match the number of INSERT columns.

Cause: Select statement from tblOrder selecting only two columns OrderId and OrderName while we are trying to insert in the three columns. So it is syntax error.

Solution:

Correct syntax is:

INSERT INTO tblOrderHistory(OrderId,OrderName)

SELECT * FROM tblOrder