>Tried to create the simplest package using the wizard to find the property that forces overwrite of existing data after I selected that in the wizard. Found the one for Identity inserts but can't figure out how to force an overwrite.
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>Hi, Charles,
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>I'm a little confused about your context for an overwrite- do you mean an overwrite of an existing flat file destination (CSV, TXT, etc.)...or the overwrite of an existing database table?

I meant overwriting the contents of a SQL table in one database with data coming from a table in another database. I was confused because while the wizard had a setting for overwriting, I couldn't see how it was reflected in the creaed dtsx file. But of course the problem was I was looking so hard for a property I overlooked the "Preparation SQL Task" ( just an Execute SQL task with a truncate command ) that the wizard put into the flow before the data flow task, which makes perfect sense of course as the actual sequence is to first truncate the existing table then insert the new records.

I also found out I should be using those wizard created dtsx files as part of a solution rather than just opening them in BIDS.

Little by little it is making sense and I have to say I'm excited. I have ordered the WROX Knight's 24-Hour Trainer: Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Integration Services and pre-ordered the Apress book ( are you involved with that one? )

Very exciting stuff. I have two really major political fundraising apps that move lots of data from diverse sources into SQL and into autodialers etc and this is going to be a game changer for how we handle a lot of this stuff in our .NET rewrite of the VFP apps.
We'll also be using it for cleaning up and moving to new data structures ( all keys are currently UIDs and will be changed to Indentity ints ) all the data for existing clients.

Amazing tool. I'm sure I'll be trying to pick your brain a lot over the next months.