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Create and manage projects (AccessToSQL)

To migrate Access databases to SQL Server or Azure SQL, you must first create a SQL Server Migration Assistant (SSMA) project. The project is a file that contains metadata about the Access databases that you want to migrate to SQL Server or Azure SQL, metadata about the target instance of SQL Server or Azure SQL that receives the migrated objects and data, SQL Server connection information, and project settings.

Review default project settings

SSMA contains several options for converting and synchronizing database objects and for converting data. The default setting for these options is appropriate for many users. However, before you create a new SSMA project, you should review the options and, if you want to, change the default settings for all your new projects.

  1. On the Tools menu, select Default Project Settings.

  2. Select the project type in Migration Target Version dropdown list for which settings are to be viewed or changed, and then select the General tab.

  3. In the left pane, select Conversion.

  4. In the right pane, review the options. For more information about these options, see Project Settings (Conversion).

  5. Change options as necessary.

  6. Repeat the previous steps for the Migration, GUI, and Type Mapping pages.

Note

Azure SQL settings are available only when you select Migration to Azure SQL while creating a project.

Create new projects

SSMA starts without loading a default project. To migrate data from Access databases to SQL Server or Azure SQL, you must create a project.

  1. On the File menu, select New Project.

    The New Project dialog box appears.

  2. In the Name box, enter a name for your project.

  3. In the Location box, enter or select a folder for the project

  4. In the Migration To dropdown list, select one of the following versions, and then select OK:

    • SQL Server 2016 (13.x)
    • SQL Server 2017 (14.x)
    • SQL Server 2019 (15.x)
    • SQL Server 2022 (16.x)
    • SQL Server 2025 (17.x)
    • Azure SQL Database
    • Azure SQL Managed Instance

SSMA creates the project file. You can now perform the next step of adding one or more Access databases.

Customize project settings

In addition to defining default project settings, which apply to all new SSMA projects, you can also customize the settings for each project. For more information, see Setting Conversion and Migration Options.

When you customize data type mappings between source and target databases, you can define mappings at the project, database, or object level. For more information about type mapping, see Mapping Source and Target Data Types.

Save projects

When you save a project, SSMA persists the project settings, and optionally the database metadata, to the project file.

  • On the File menu, select Save Project.

    If databases within the project have changed or haven't been converted, SSMA prompts you to save metadata into the project. Saving metadata lets you work offline. It also lets you send a complete project file to other people, including technical support personnel. If you're prompted to save metadata, do the following steps:

    1. For each database that shows a status of Metadata missing, select the check box next to the database name.

      Saving metadata might take several minutes. If you don't want to save metadata at this point, don't select any check boxes.

    2. Select Save.

      SSMA parses the Access schemas and saves the metadata to the project file.

Open projects

When you open a project, it's disconnected from SQL Server or Azure SQL. This lets you work offline. To update metadata load database objects into SQL Server or Azure SQL. To migrate data, you must reconnect to SQL Server or Azure SQL.

  1. Use one of the following procedures:

    • On the File menu, point to Recent Projects, and then select the project you want to open.

    • On the File menu, select Open Project, locate the .a2ssproj project file, select the file, and then select Open.

  2. To reconnect to SQL Server, on the File menu, select Reconnect to SQL Server.

  3. To reconnect to Azure SQL, on the File menu, select Reconnect to SQL Azure.

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