The number of row value expressions in the INSERT statement exceeds the maximum allowed number of 1000 row values

No. This hard-coded restriction exists for good reasons related to possible excessive query plan compilation time. You can workaround it by listing the VALUES clauses in a CTE, then INSERTing from the CTE, but I do not recommend it.

Break the INSERT statement up into VALUES clauses of <= 1,000 lines each as a workaround, or use an alternative data loading method such as bcp or BULK INSERT. The fundamental issue may be addressed in a future version of SQL Server. See also Martin Smith's great answer on Stack Overflow.

Not-recommended workaround:

fiddle

DECLARE @T AS table (c1 int);

-- Error 10738    
INSERT @T (c1)
VALUES
(1),(2),(3),(4),(5),(6),(7),(8),(9),(10),(11),(12),(13),(14),(15),(16),(17),(18),(19),(20),(21),(22),(23),(24),(25),(26),(27),(28),(29),(30),(31),(32),(33),(34),(35),(36),(37),(38),(39),(40),(41),(42),(43),(44),(45),(46),(47),(48),(49),(50), (51),(52),(53),(54),(55),(56),(57),(58),(59),(60),(61),(62),(63),(64),(65),(66),(67),(68),(69),(70),(71),(72),(73),(74),(75),(76),(77),(78),(79),(80),(81),(82),(83),(84),(85),(86),(87),(88),(89),(90),(91),(92),(93),(94),(95),(96),(97),(98),(99),(100),
(101),(102),(103),(104),(105),(106),(107),(108),(109),(110),(111),(112),(113),(114),(115),(116),(117),(118),(119),(120),(121),(122),(123),(124),(125),(126),(127),(128),(129),(130),(131),(132),(133),(134),(135),(136),(137),(138),(139),(140),(141),(142),(143),(144),(145),(146),(147),(148),(149),(150),
(151),(152),(153),(154),(155),(156),(157),(158),(159),(160),(161),(162),(163),(164),(165),(166),(167),(168),(169),(170),(171),(172),(173),(174),(175),(176),(177),(178),(179),(180),(181),(182),(183),(184),(185),(186),(187),(188),(189),(190),(191),(192),(193),(194),(195),(196),(197),(198),(199),(200),
(201),(202),(203),(204),(205),(206),(207),(208),(209),(210),(211),(212),(213),(214),(215),(216),(217),(218),(219),(220),(221),(222),(223),(224),(225),(226),(227),(228),(229),(230),(231),(232),(233),(234),(235),(236),(237),(238),(239),(240),(241),(242),(243),(244),(245),(246),(247),(248),(249),(250),
(251),(252),(253),(254),(255),(256),(257),(258),(259),(260),(261),(262),(263),(264),(265),(266),(267),(268),(269),(270),(271),(272),(273),(274),(275),(276),(277),(278),(279),(280),(281),(282),(283),(284),(285),(286),(287),(288),(289),(290),(291),(292),(293),(294),(295),(296),(297),(298),(299),(300),
(301),(302),(303),(304),(305),(306),(307),(308),(309),(310),(311),(312),(313),(314),(315),(316),(317),(318),(319),(320),(321),(322),(323),(324),(325),(326),(327),(328),(329),(330),(331),(332),(333),(334),(335),(336),(337),(338),(339),(340),(341),(342),(343),(344),(345),(346),(347),(348),(349),(350),
(351),(352),(353),(354),(355),(356),(357),(358),(359),(360),(361),(362),(363),(364),(365),(366),(367),(368),(369),(370),(371),(372),(373),(374),(375),(376),(377),(378),(379),(380),(381),(382),(383),(384),(385),(386),(387),(388),(389),(390),(391),(392),(393),(394),(395),(396),(397),(398),(399),(400),
(401),(402),(403),(404),(405),(406),(407),(408),(409),(410),(411),(412),(413),(414),(415),(416),(417),(418),(419),(420),(421),(422),(423),(424),(425),(426),(427),(428),(429),(430),(431),(432),(433),(434),(435),(436),(437),(438),(439),(440),(441),(442),(443),(444),(445),(446),(447),(448),(449),(450),
(451),(452),(453),(454),(455),(456),(457),(458),(459),(460),(461),(462),(463),(464),(465),(466),(467),(468),(469),(470),(471),(472),(473),(474),(475),(476),(477),(478),(479),(480),(481),(482),(483),(484),(485),(486),(487),(488),(489),(490),(491),(492),(493),(494),(495),(496),(497),(498),(499),(500),
(501),(502),(503),(504),(505),(506),(507),(508),(509),(510),(511),(512),(513),(514),(515),(516),(517),(518),(519),(520),(521),(522),(523),(524),(525),(526),(527),(528),(529),(530),(531),(532),(533),(534),(535),(536),(537),(538),(539),(540),(541),(542),(543),(544),(545),(546),(547),(548),(549),(550),
(551),(552),(553),(554),(555),(556),(557),(558),(559),(560),(561),(562),(563),(564),(565),(566),(567),(568),(569),(570),(571),(572),(573),(574),(575),(576),(577),(578),(579),(580),(581),(582),(583),(584),(585),(586),(587),(588),(589),(590),(591),(592),(593),(594),(595),(596),(597),(598),(599),(600),
(601),(602),(603),(604),(605),(606),(607),(608),(609),(610),(611),(612),(613),(614),(615),(616),(617),(618),(619),(620),(621),(622),(623),(624),(625),(626),(627),(628),(629),(630),(631),(632),(633),(634),(635),(636),(637),(638),(639),(640),(641),(642),(643),(644),(645),(646),(647),(648),(649),(650),
(651),(652),(653),(654),(655),(656),(657),(658),(659),(660),(661),(662),(663),(664),(665),(666),(667),(668),(669),(670),(671),(672),(673),(674),(675),(676),(677),(678),(679),(680),(681),(682),(683),(684),(685),(686),(687),(688),(689),(690),(691),(692),(693),(694),(695),(696),(697),(698),(699),(700),
(701),(702),(703),(704),(705),(706),(707),(708),(709),(710),(711),(712),(713),(714),(715),(716),(717),(718),(719),(720),(721),(722),(723),(724),(725),(726),(727),(728),(729),(730),(731),(732),(733),(734),(735),(736),(737),(738),(739),(740),(741),(742),(743),(744),(745),(746),(747),(748),(749),(750),
(751),(752),(753),(754),(755),(756),(757),(758),(759),(760),(761),(762),(763),(764),(765),(766),(767),(768),(769),(770),(771),(772),(773),(774),(775),(776),(777),(778),(779),(780),(781),(782),(783),(784),(785),(786),(787),(788),(789),(790),(791),(792),(793),(794),(795),(796),(797),(798),(799),(800),
(801),(802),(803),(804),(805),(806),(807),(808),(809),(810),(811),(812),(813),(814),(815),(816),(817),(818),(819),(820),(821),(822),(823),(824),(825),(826),(827),(828),(829),(830),(831),(832),(833),(834),(835),(836),(837),(838),(839),(840),(841),(842),(843),(844),(845),(846),(847),(848),(849),(850),
(851),(852),(853),(854),(855),(856),(857),(858),(859),(860),(861),(862),(863),(864),(865),(866),(867),(868),(869),(870),(871),(872),(873),(874),(875),(876),(877),(878),(879),(880),(881),(882),(883),(884),(885),(886),(887),(888),(889),(890),(891),(892),(893),(894),(895),(896),(897),(898),(899),(900),
(901),(902),(903),(904),(905),(906),(907),(908),(909),(910),(911),(912),(913),(914),(915),(916),(917),(918),(919),(920),(921),(922),(923),(924),(925),(926),(927),(928),(929),(930),(931),(932),(933),(934),(935),(936),(937),(938),(939),(940),(941),(942),(943),(944),(945),(946),(947),(948),(949),(950),
(951),(952),(953),(954),(955),(956),(957),(958),(959),(960),(961),(962),(963),(964),(965),(966),(967),(968),(969),(970),(971),(972),(973),(974),(975),(976),(977),(978),(979),(980),(981),(982),(983),(984),(985),(986),(987),(988),(989),(990),(991),(992),(993),(994),(995),(996),(997),(998),(999),(1000),
(1001);

CTE workaround (no error, not recommended!):

fiddle

DECLARE @T AS table (c1 int);

WITH CTE (c1) AS
(
    SELECT V.v 
    FROM 
    (
        VALUES
            (1),(2),(3),(4),(5),(6),(7),(8),(9),(10),(11),(12),(13),(14),(15),(16),(17),(18),(19),(20),(21),(22),(23),(24),(25),(26),(27),(28),(29),(30),(31),(32),(33),(34),(35),(36),(37),(38),(39),(40),(41),(42),(43),(44),(45),(46),(47),(48),(49),(50),
            (51),(52),(53),(54),(55),(56),(57),(58),(59),(60),(61),(62),(63),(64),(65),(66),(67),(68),(69),(70),(71),(72),(73),(74),(75),(76),(77),(78),(79),(80),(81),(82),(83),(84),(85),(86),(87),(88),(89),(90),(91),(92),(93),(94),(95),(96),(97),(98),(99),(100),
            (101),(102),(103),(104),(105),(106),(107),(108),(109),(110),(111),(112),(113),(114),(115),(116),(117),(118),(119),(120),(121),(122),(123),(124),(125),(126),(127),(128),(129),(130),(131),(132),(133),(134),(135),(136),(137),(138),(139),(140),(141),(142),(143),(144),(145),(146),(147),(148),(149),(150),
            (151),(152),(153),(154),(155),(156),(157),(158),(159),(160),(161),(162),(163),(164),(165),(166),(167),(168),(169),(170),(171),(172),(173),(174),(175),(176),(177),(178),(179),(180),(181),(182),(183),(184),(185),(186),(187),(188),(189),(190),(191),(192),(193),(194),(195),(196),(197),(198),(199),(200),
            (201),(202),(203),(204),(205),(206),(207),(208),(209),(210),(211),(212),(213),(214),(215),(216),(217),(218),(219),(220),(221),(222),(223),(224),(225),(226),(227),(228),(229),(230),(231),(232),(233),(234),(235),(236),(237),(238),(239),(240),(241),(242),(243),(244),(245),(246),(247),(248),(249),(250),
            (251),(252),(253),(254),(255),(256),(257),(258),(259),(260),(261),(262),(263),(264),(265),(266),(267),(268),(269),(270),(271),(272),(273),(274),(275),(276),(277),(278),(279),(280),(281),(282),(283),(284),(285),(286),(287),(288),(289),(290),(291),(292),(293),(294),(295),(296),(297),(298),(299),(300),
            (301),(302),(303),(304),(305),(306),(307),(308),(309),(310),(311),(312),(313),(314),(315),(316),(317),(318),(319),(320),(321),(322),(323),(324),(325),(326),(327),(328),(329),(330),(331),(332),(333),(334),(335),(336),(337),(338),(339),(340),(341),(342),(343),(344),(345),(346),(347),(348),(349),(350),
            (351),(352),(353),(354),(355),(356),(357),(358),(359),(360),(361),(362),(363),(364),(365),(366),(367),(368),(369),(370),(371),(372),(373),(374),(375),(376),(377),(378),(379),(380),(381),(382),(383),(384),(385),(386),(387),(388),(389),(390),(391),(392),(393),(394),(395),(396),(397),(398),(399),(400),
            (401),(402),(403),(404),(405),(406),(407),(408),(409),(410),(411),(412),(413),(414),(415),(416),(417),(418),(419),(420),(421),(422),(423),(424),(425),(426),(427),(428),(429),(430),(431),(432),(433),(434),(435),(436),(437),(438),(439),(440),(441),(442),(443),(444),(445),(446),(447),(448),(449),(450),
            (451),(452),(453),(454),(455),(456),(457),(458),(459),(460),(461),(462),(463),(464),(465),(466),(467),(468),(469),(470),(471),(472),(473),(474),(475),(476),(477),(478),(479),(480),(481),(482),(483),(484),(485),(486),(487),(488),(489),(490),(491),(492),(493),(494),(495),(496),(497),(498),(499),(500),
            (501),(502),(503),(504),(505),(506),(507),(508),(509),(510),(511),(512),(513),(514),(515),(516),(517),(518),(519),(520),(521),(522),(523),(524),(525),(526),(527),(528),(529),(530),(531),(532),(533),(534),(535),(536),(537),(538),(539),(540),(541),(542),(543),(544),(545),(546),(547),(548),(549),(550),
            (551),(552),(553),(554),(555),(556),(557),(558),(559),(560),(561),(562),(563),(564),(565),(566),(567),(568),(569),(570),(571),(572),(573),(574),(575),(576),(577),(578),(579),(580),(581),(582),(583),(584),(585),(586),(587),(588),(589),(590),(591),(592),(593),(594),(595),(596),(597),(598),(599),(600),
            (601),(602),(603),(604),(605),(606),(607),(608),(609),(610),(611),(612),(613),(614),(615),(616),(617),(618),(619),(620),(621),(622),(623),(624),(625),(626),(627),(628),(629),(630),(631),(632),(633),(634),(635),(636),(637),(638),(639),(640),(641),(642),(643),(644),(645),(646),(647),(648),(649),(650),
            (651),(652),(653),(654),(655),(656),(657),(658),(659),(660),(661),(662),(663),(664),(665),(666),(667),(668),(669),(670),(671),(672),(673),(674),(675),(676),(677),(678),(679),(680),(681),(682),(683),(684),(685),(686),(687),(688),(689),(690),(691),(692),(693),(694),(695),(696),(697),(698),(699),(700),
            (701),(702),(703),(704),(705),(706),(707),(708),(709),(710),(711),(712),(713),(714),(715),(716),(717),(718),(719),(720),(721),(722),(723),(724),(725),(726),(727),(728),(729),(730),(731),(732),(733),(734),(735),(736),(737),(738),(739),(740),(741),(742),(743),(744),(745),(746),(747),(748),(749),(750),
            (751),(752),(753),(754),(755),(756),(757),(758),(759),(760),(761),(762),(763),(764),(765),(766),(767),(768),(769),(770),(771),(772),(773),(774),(775),(776),(777),(778),(779),(780),(781),(782),(783),(784),(785),(786),(787),(788),(789),(790),(791),(792),(793),(794),(795),(796),(797),(798),(799),(800),
            (801),(802),(803),(804),(805),(806),(807),(808),(809),(810),(811),(812),(813),(814),(815),(816),(817),(818),(819),(820),(821),(822),(823),(824),(825),(826),(827),(828),(829),(830),(831),(832),(833),(834),(835),(836),(837),(838),(839),(840),(841),(842),(843),(844),(845),(846),(847),(848),(849),(850),
            (851),(852),(853),(854),(855),(856),(857),(858),(859),(860),(861),(862),(863),(864),(865),(866),(867),(868),(869),(870),(871),(872),(873),(874),(875),(876),(877),(878),(879),(880),(881),(882),(883),(884),(885),(886),(887),(888),(889),(890),(891),(892),(893),(894),(895),(896),(897),(898),(899),(900),
            (901),(902),(903),(904),(905),(906),(907),(908),(909),(910),(911),(912),(913),(914),(915),(916),(917),(918),(919),(920),(921),(922),(923),(924),(925),(926),(927),(928),(929),(930),(931),(932),(933),(934),(935),(936),(937),(938),(939),(940),(941),(942),(943),(944),(945),(946),(947),(948),(949),(950),
            (951),(952),(953),(954),(955),(956),(957),(958),(959),(960),(961),(962),(963),(964),(965),(966),(967),(968),(969),(970),(971),(972),(973),(974),(975),(976),(977),(978),(979),(980),(981),(982),(983),(984),(985),(986),(987),(988),(989),(990),(991),(992),(993),(994),(995),(996),(997),(998),(999),(1000),
            (1001)
    ) AS V(v)
)
INSERT @T (c1)
SELECT c1 
FROM CTE;

You can use the following syntax:

insert into tableName (column1)
select '1' union all
select '2' union all
...
select '1000' union all
select '1001' -- Last line should not contain union all

and so on. There's no restriction on the number of inserted rows.


For select using VALUES you can go beyond the 1000 limit

INSERT INTO tableName (column1)
SELECT t.column1
FROM (VALUES 
(1),
(2),
(3),
...
(1000),
(1001)
) AS t(column1)