INSERT INTO query, MS Access

[AGx-07_162]

Can anyone help me understand why I get a "Syntax error in INSERT INTO statement" error with this query?

INSERT INTO Employees (Title, FirstName, LastName, Company, Department, Mailstop, Extension, City, State, Bldg, Floor, DirList, Prefix, Notes, Phone, importID, importDate, Desc)

SELECT Title, FirstName, LastName, Company, Department, Mailstop, Extension, City, State, Bldg, Floor, DirList, Prefix, Notes, Phone, importID, importDate, Desc

FROM dbo_Employees

Please take note of the column in blue, "Desc". This appears to be the problem column as if I remove it from the statement the query works fine. The confusing thing is that, with the exception of the importID column, every column in both tables are exactly the same. And I mean exactly the same. They are all Text columns with the exact same properties. I even looked specifically at the Desc column in both tables and made sure each of their properties were exactly the same. Same length, no default values, neither are required, indexed, both allow zero length. They are practically twins.

Any ideas why I'm getting this error?

 

[ksham]

Desc is a SQL keyword. It's bad practice to name a table column "Desc" or any other reserved SQL keywords. But if you want to stick with it, use backticks - `Desc`

 

[AGx-07_162]

Thank you. I wasn't aware of that. I'm certainly no expert but unfortunately I'm stepping into an environment that existed before me. I should be able to get around it if I just do [Desc] instead.

Thanks again.

 

[USAFRet]

Yes, DESC is the issue.
Desc = Descending sort order.

Change the col names.

 

[AGx-07_162]

Change the col names.

I'll try to do that when I can. I was able to make it work by just putting [ ] around the column name.

INSERT INTO Employees (Title, FirstName, LastName, Company, Department, Mailstop, Extension, City, State, Bldg, Floor, DirList, Prefix, Notes, Phone, importID, importDate, [Desc])

SELECT Title, FirstName, LastName, Company, Department, Mailstop, Extension, City, State, Bldg, Floor, DirList, Prefix, Notes, Phone, importID, importDate, [Desc]

FROM dbo_Employees

 

[USAFRet]

Right. But 6 months from now, you or someone else will look at that and wonder 'WTF'.
Using reserved words for a column name is never a good thing.

 

[ksham]

Agreed; it's not recommended. Also, based on that query, the DB design is optimal. Company and Department should be an association table with Department being its own table. Address should be its own thing too IMO.

 

[USAFRet]

Also, based on that query, the DB design is optimal

I think you meant to say "sub-optimal".
There are many things I'd change about that.

Employee - FName, LName, Phone Num
Belongs to a Department - HP, IT, whatever
Is associated with a Location. Building, City, State, etc.

 

[ksham]

Yeah sorry. I typo'd. I meant to say NOT optimal. Thanks for the fix @USAFRet.

 

[AGx-07_162]

Yeah sorry. I typo'd. I meant to say NOT optimal. Thanks for the fix @USAFRet.

There are a lot of things wrong with the database. The design doesn't bother me as much as the inconsistency in the data. Almost everything is a Text(255) field and users just jam whatever they want into whatever field they want.