How to fix Error 5342 on Windows Server 2025 / Windows 11

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Troubleshooting Guide: Error 5342 — ROWTERMINATOR/FIELDTERMINATOR Requires WITH Schema

Why This Error Happens

Error 5342 occurs when a BULK INSERT or OPENROWSET(BULK...) statement specifies formatting options like ROWTERMINATOR, FIELDTERMINATOR, or DELIMITER outside the required WITH (...) schema clause. SQL Server 2025 parses these options strictly as sub-arguments of the WITH clause, so placing them directly after the source file path or table name without the proper wrapper causes a syntax validation failure. This is almost always a query-authoring issue rather than a server configuration problem, often introduced when scripts are migrated from older T-SQL syntax or copy-pasted from incompatible templates.

Step-by-Step Resolution Guide

Step 1: Locate the Offending Statement

  • Check the SQL script or stored procedure referenced in the error output for BULK INSERT or OPENROWSET(BULK...) calls.
  • Look specifically for ROWTERMINATOR, FIELDTERMINATOR, or DELIMITER appearing without a preceding WITH keyword.
  • Example of broken syntax: BULK INSERT dbo.MyTable FROM 'C:\Data\file.csv' ROWTERMINATOR = '\n', FIELDTERMINATOR = ',';

Step 2: Wrap Options Inside the WITH Clause

  • Rewrite the statement so all formatting arguments are enclosed in parentheses after WITH.
  • Corrected syntax: BULK INSERT dbo.MyTable FROM 'C:\Data\file.csv' WITH (FIELDTERMINATOR = ',', ROWTERMINATOR = '\n');
  • For OPENROWSET, ensure the same pattern: SELECT * FROM OPENROWSET(BULK 'C:\Data\file.csv', FORMATFILE = 'C:\Data\format.xml') AS DataSource;
  • Double-check comma placement between arguments inside the parentheses.

Step 3: Validate File Paths and Permissions

  • Confirm the file path (e.g., C:\Data\file.csv) is accessible from the SQL Server service account on Windows Server 2025.
  • Verify the SQL Server service account has at least Read permission on the folder via icacls C:\Data.
  • If using a UNC path, confirm the SQL Server service account has network share access and that the path is not blocked by Windows Defender Firewall.

Step 4: Re-run and Capture Execution Plan

  • Execute the corrected statement in SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) or Azure Data Studio.
  • Enable SET STATISTICS XML ON beforehand to confirm the parser accepts the syntax without throwing Error 5342 again.
  • Review the Messages tab for any secondary warnings related to data type mismatches or format file issues.

Alternative or Verification Steps

  • Run SELECT TOP 10 * FROM dbo.MyTable; after the bulk load completes to confirm rows were inserted correctly with the expected delimiters applied.
  • If the error persists, try using a Format File (-f with bcp or FORMATFILE = in OPENROWSET) instead of inline terminators, as this isolates the issue to the WITH clause syntax rather than delimiter logic.