Difference between Flat File Source Output ?

Can someone tell me the difference between the Flat File Source Output - External Columns and Output Columns ?

I always end up changing the datatype properities in both to make things work :-)

? Hi, Have you tried setting the datatypes for the external columns using the Advanced pane of the Flat File Connection Manager? What you set there ought to be carried through to the Output columns. Andrew Watt [MVP] <cgpl@.discussions.microsoft..com> wrote in message news:760e2f6b-3480-4430-850e-8b30237e462d@.discussions.microsoft.com... Can someone tell me the difference between the Flat File Source Output - External Columns and Output Columns ? I always end up changing the datatype properities in both to make things work :-)|||

By definition, output columns represent the column schema of the component itself. External columns represent the column schema of the database that the component is connected to.

Try editing the column defs in the connection manager and see if that eases the experience.