Insert into from select query error in SQL Server

Question

I am using the below query to insert data from one table to another:

DECLARE @MATNO NVARCHAR(10), @GLOBALREV INT, @LOCALREP INT

SET @MATNO = '7AGME'
SET @GLOBALREV = 11
SET @LOCALREP = 1

INSERT INTO CIGARETTE_HEADER 
VALUES 
    (SELECT * 
     FROM CIGARETTE_HEADER_BK1 
     WHERE MATERIAL_NUMBER = @MATNO 
       AND GLOBAL_REVISION = @GLOBALREV 
       AND LOCAL_REVISION = @LOCALREP)

The column in both the tables are same, but I am getting the following error:

Msg 156, Level 15, State 1, Line 7
Incorrect syntax near the keyword 'SELECT'.

Msg 102, Level 15, State 1, Line 7
Incorrect syntax near ')'.

Can you please let me know the mistake here?

Answer 1

You don't need VALUES keyword:

INSERT INTO CIGARETTE_HEADER  
SELECT * FROM CIGARETTE_HEADER_BK1 
WHERE MATERIAL_NUMBER = @MATNO AND 
      GLOBAL_REVISION = @GLOBALREV AND 
      LOCAL_REVISION = @LOCALREP

It is also preferable to explicitly cite every field name of both tables participating in the INSERT statement.

Answer 2

You don't need to use the VALUES () notation. You only use this when you want to insert static values, and only one register. Example: INSERT INTO Table VALUES('value1',12, newid());

Also i recommend writing the name of the columns you plan to insert into, like this:

INSERT INTO Table
(String1, Number1, id)
VALUES('value1',12, newid());

In your case, do the same but only with the select:

DECLARE @MATNO NVARCHAR(10), @GLOBALREV INT, @LOCALREP INT;

SET @MATNO = '7AGME';
SET @GLOBALREV = 11;
SET @LOCALREP = 1;

INSERT INTO CIGARETTE_HEADER
(ColumnName1, ColumnName2)
SELECT ColumnNameInTable1, ColumnNameInTable2
FROM CIGARETTE_HEADER_BK1 
WHERE MATERIAL_NUMBER = @MATNO 
AND GLOBAL_REVISION = @GLOBALREV 
AND LOCAL_REVISION = @LOCALREP);

Answer 3

To expand a bit on the issue.

VALUES() is actually a table constructor. When inserting rows into a table you can either use SELECT to fetch rows or VALUE constructor.

Even though INSERT INTO... VALUES is often used in examples to insert a row, you can use it to insert multiple rows, separating them with commas.

Eg. INSERT INTO table(col1, col2) VALUES (1, 2) , (3, 4) , (5, 6)

Would insert a set of 3 rows into your table.

VALUES can also be used to make derived tables, allowing some advanced data manipulation.

https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd776382.aspx