flat files

Flat files are files used for moving data from one database to another. There are two types of flat files:

1. CSV (comma separated values) files
2. Delimited Files

CSV

• Can be delimited by a comma or pipe or tab
• Includes an optional enclosing character that occurs at the start and end of a value (usually double quotes)

Delimited files

• Only a delimiter, no enclosing characters