SSIS Inserts not inserting the computed columns - ssis

Question

I am using SSIS to insert a Excel file into a Sql Server Table. I believe it uses the Bulk insert, and as a result it doesn't insert into the 'CreationDate' and the 'ModificationDate' columns (both of which are computed columns with getdate() as the default).
Is there a way to get around this problem?
Also, just to be clear - both these date columns are not a part of excel. Here is the exact scenario:
My excel has two columns - code and description. My SQL Server table has 4 columns Code, Description, CreationDate, ModificationDate.
So, when the SSIS copies the data, it copies Code and Description, but the CreationDate and ModificationDate (which are SQL Server Computed Columns) are both empty.

Answer 1

You should use a normal column with a default constraint if you want to log creation
A computed column defined as GETDATE() will change every time you query it.
It is also impossible for a computed column to not be populated
So, assuming you mean "normal column with default", then you need stop sending NULL from SSIS which overrides the default
This is all demonstrated here:
CREATE TABLE #foo (
bar int NOT NULL,
testCol1Null datetime NULL DEFAULT GETDATE(),
testCol1NotNull datetime NOT NULL DEFAULT GETDATE(),
testCol2 AS GETDATE()
);
INSERT #foo (bar, testCol1Null) VALUES (1, NULL);
SELECT * FROM #foo;
WAITFOR DELAY '00:00:00.100';
SELECT * FROM #foo;
WAITFOR DELAY '00:00:00.100';
SELECT * FROM #foo;
DROP TABLE #foo;
Assuming you are using the Bulk Insert Task in SSIS, then you need to set "Keep nulls = off/unchecked" in the options page

Answer 2

You should have a default constraint on the column(s) that specifies get
col1 datetime default getdate()
There should also be an option for the bulk insert KEEPNULLS which should be turned off.
From Bulk Insert on MSDN:
Specifies that empty columns should retain a null value during the bulk-import operation, instead of having any default values for the
columns inserted. For more information, see Keeping Nulls or Using
Default Values During Bulk Import.
KEEPNULLS is also documented: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms187887.aspx

Answer 3

Put in a Derived Column in your dataflow and populate the two missing columns with the values you want.

Answer 4

The value on a computed column doesn't physically exists on the database, it is calculated every time SQL Server needs to access it, that's why you can't inform a value to it on a insert.
What you need is a default column, which is a column that has a default value that's inserted if you don't inform any other value.
CreationDate datetime default getdate()
ModificationDate datetime default getdate()