TIP: changing data type in SSIS Merge component

Here’s a quick tip on the usage of the Merge, one of the Data Flow Transformation components in Integration Services.  When merging data from two different sources one of the issues that you’ll need to cope with are the data types.  The Merge component may start complaining about certain columns when the metadata has been changed higher in the flow.  The error would look like this:

Validation error. Data Flow Task: Data Flow Task: The metadata for “input column “YourColumn” (590)” does not match the metadata for the associated output column.

A common issue is the length of a string field.  My favorite way to solve these types of issue is by opening up the Advanced Editor, locating the particular field in the Output Columns and increasing its Length property to match the length of the longer field.

But unfortunately the Merge component does not have an Advanced Editor option.  The easiest way to solve it in this case is by first deleting the column in the Merge Transformation Editor and then adding it again.  Luckily the dropdown only shows the input fields that haven’t been matched yet.