---
title: INSERT
description: The INSERT file format
keywords: [insert values, file formats]
---

# SQL INSERT file format

This file format contains an INSERT...VALUES statement to be executed on the destination during the `load` stage.

Additional data types are stored as follows:

- `datetime` and `date` are stored as ISO strings;
- `decimal` is stored as a text representation of a decimal number;
- `binary` storage depends on the format accepted by the destination;
- `json` storage also depends on the format accepted by the destination.

This file format is [compressed](../../reference/performance.md#disabling-and-enabling-file-compression) by default.

## Supported destinations

This format is used by default by:
- [DuckDB](../destinations/duckdb.md)
- [Postgres](../destinations/postgres.md)
- [Redshift](../destinations/redshift.md)
- [Synapse](../destinations/synapse.md)
- [MSSQL](../destinations/mssql.md)
- [Motherduck](../destinations/motherduck.md)

It is also supported by [Filesystem](../destinations/filesystem.md) if you'd like to store INSERT VALUES statements for some reason

## How to configure