# Database Discussions > Microsoft SQL Server 2008 >  copy data from one table to the next with dufferent columns positions

## earlcools

I am trying to change a database from excel to mssql. After importing to MSSQL

The problem  the columns heading are in different positions for example one year it is
*IDNumber, First_Name, Last_Name* and the following year it maybe :Confused: 
*last_Name, First_Name, IDnumber*. 

I tried using 

INSERT INTO TABLE2 SELECT * FROM TABLE1

but I am getting 

Msg 213, Level 16, State 1, Line 1
Column name or number of supplied values does not match table definition.

My question is must the columns heading be in the same order to copy data from one table to the next

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## rmiao

You can list column names in the statement like following as long as you put in same number of columns:
insert into table2 (col1, col2, ...) select col3, col4, ... from table1

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