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Failure table

As explained in 100 SQL Server Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

A failure table is a database table that stores input rows rejected during an integration or loading operation for later examination.

Mistake: ignore rejected rows because the load can continue. If data matters enough to load, it matters enough to retain for review, even when repair may be difficult. section 6.1

Configure a failure table by:

  • Creating a table with expansive columns for the rejected source row, error code, and error column. section 6.1
  • Adding an OLE DB destination and connecting the data source's error output to it. section 6.1
  • Setting the source error output to redirect errors and truncations, then manually mapping its output column. section 6.1

Malformed delimiter

A row expected to be comma-separated contains a semicolon after its first GUID. The resulting 53-character value exceeds a 50-character Cookie ID column, producing a truncation failure that the failure table preserves for examination. section 6.1

How 100 SQL Server Mistakes and How to Avoid Them covers it

How deep it goes
Explains table creation, error redirection, destination mapping, and truncation diagnosis, but does not detail automated repair.
Examples
Uses a malformed delimiter that expands a Cookie ID value beyond its configured length.
What it assumes
Assumes basic SSIS data-flow and destination configuration knowledge while demonstrating the failure-table setup directly.
What you can do after
Diagnose/debug with SSIS error outputs and a failure table that retains rejected rows and error metadata.
How it connects
Connects SSIS error output with flat file sources, OLE DB destinations, staging tables, and truncation errors.

Related concepts

This explainer was generated by Manning's knowledge graph from the text of 100 SQL Server Mistakes and How to Avoid Them. The section links point to the parts of the book it draws on.