Understanding the INSERT INTO Command in SQL

The correct way to insert multiple rows into a table in SQL is using the INSERT INTO command followed by the table name and values in parentheses, separated by commas. This is a readily-used method for data insertion in Structured Query Language (SQL), specifically when you need to insert multiple rows of data into a table.

A Basic Syntax

Here is the correct syntax as mentioned in the quiz answer:

INSERT INTO Orders VALUES (value1, value2), (value3, value4);

In this case, Orders is the name of the table and value1, value2, value3, and value4 are the values to be inserted. Each pair of parentheses represents one row of data.

A Practical Example

Let's say you have an Orders table with two columns OrderID and OrderAmount. If you wanted to insert two new orders, the command would be written as such:

INSERT INTO Orders VALUES (1, 100), (2, 200);

This command inserts two rows - the first row with OrderID as 1 and OrderAmount as 100, the second row with OrderID as 2 and OrderAmount as 200.

Additional Insight

When using this method to insert multiple rows, it's crucial to ensure that values for every column in the table are provided, and in order. If values are not available, you may have to use NULL, or consider referring to columns specifically in the INSERT INTO command like so:

INSERT INTO Orders (OrderID, OrderAmount) VALUES (1, 100), (2, 200);

This command is functionally identical to the previous example, but offers the advantage of clarity, as well as allowing you to omit values for columns which have been set to automatically incorporate default values.

Remember, understanding and correctly utilizing SQL commands is vital for efficient database management. Whether entering single items or multiple rows of data, the INSERT INTO function is a powerful tool in SQL.