SSIS Toolbox is not visible in SQL Server Data Tools

By:   |   Updated: 2015-09-01   |   Comments (29)   |   Related: More > Integration Services Development


Problem

The SSIS Toolbox is very important in SQL Server Integration Services to allow you to add components to the SSIS package. If you close the SSIS Toolbox sometimes making it display again doesn't work. In this tip we look at what is happening and how to resolve this issue.

Solution

Previous to SQL Server Data Tools (SSDT), we used the Business Intelligence Development Studio (BIDS) to develop SSIS packages. In BIDS when we click on the Toolbox icon it opens the SSIS Toolbox window, but now in SQL Server Data Tools it opens the user control toolbox. In this tip I will describe how to get the SSIS Toolbox window back. To demonstrate the solution I will use SQL Server Integration Services 2012.

This tip assumes that you have previous real world work experience building a simple SSIS Package.

Step 1:

Let's start SQL Server Data Tools and create a new SSIS Package. By default the SSIS Toolbox window is on the left side, you can refer to the below image.

SSIS Toolbox Visible By Default

Step 2:

Let's close the SSIS Toolbox window by clicking on the close (x) button. After closing the SSIS Toolbox window, the environment looks like the below image.

SSIS Toolbox Closed By Mistake

Step 3:

Now we want to open the SSIS Toolbox window again. To do this you would normally go to VIEW in the menu bar and then click on Toolbox as shown below.

SSIS Toolbox Does not come from View Toolbox

When you click on Toolbox from the menu, it opens a new Toolbox window, but it is not what we need. You can refer to the below image.

SSIS Toolbox Not Visible From View Toolbox

Step 4:

The following are two methods to show the SSIS Toolbox.

Method#1

In package design window, next to "Package Explorer" you will find two small icons. The second icon as shown below will open the SSIS Toolbox window. You can confirm this with a mouse over on the icon.

Trick To Make SSIS Toolbox Visible Method 1

Method#2

You can also make it visible from VIEW -> Other Windows -> SSIS Toolbox, you can refer to the below image.

Make SSIS Toolbox Visible From View Menu Method 2

Step 5:

Once you followed either of the above methods, the SSIS Toolbox window will be displayed again as shown below.

SSIS Toolbox Visible Again
Next Steps


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About the author
MSSQLTips author Ghanesh Prasad Ghanesh Prasad leads a team in Microsoft Business Intelligence and has over 5 years of experience working with SQL Server.

This author pledges the content of this article is based on professional experience and not AI generated.

View all my tips


Article Last Updated: 2015-09-01

Comments For This Article




Friday, December 10, 2021 - 3:14:03 AM - Rajat Naik Back To Top (89559)
Thanks mate, helped a lot

Wednesday, October 27, 2021 - 5:35:42 AM - HK Back To Top (89369)
Thank you - I thought I would have to reinstall some components

Thursday, August 12, 2021 - 2:57:58 AM - Harshana Back To Top (89117)
Thanks, it helped me.

Friday, June 25, 2021 - 8:55:00 AM - Victor Back To Top (88895)
thanks a lot!

Friday, June 11, 2021 - 10:32:20 AM - Kelly Smith Back To Top (88844)
Thanks Ghanesh! I never would have noticed that icon.

Saturday, October 31, 2020 - 1:58:46 AM - Manikanta Back To Top (86733)
Awesome!

Wednesday, August 12, 2020 - 12:11:32 PM - Erick Back To Top (86293)
Thanks !!! ...

Sunday, August 9, 2020 - 7:05:31 AM - Anna Back To Top (86259)
Thanks !
It helped!

Saturday, August 8, 2020 - 9:07:18 AM - HC Back To Top (86257)
Thank you Ghanesh!

Thursday, July 30, 2020 - 2:45:38 AM - or Back To Top (86215)

thanks!!


Wednesday, May 27, 2020 - 2:45:43 PM - Femi Back To Top (85783)

Thank you - I was losing my mind with this issue.


Tuesday, March 24, 2020 - 4:21:42 PM - Patricio Poo Back To Top (85182)

gracias, no sabia como encontrar la barra de herramientas nuevamente.


Thursday, February 13, 2020 - 8:29:37 AM - Joe Gavin Back To Top (84426)

Thanks Ghanesh. Accidentally closed the SSIS Toolbox in VS2019. Your solution saved me more than a fair amount of aggravation.


Wednesday, October 23, 2019 - 12:28:47 AM - GeePees Back To Top (82868)

OMG, this article helps me just before I am going mad. Big thanks to the author


Tuesday, October 1, 2019 - 7:22:24 PM - Praveen Back To Top (82638)

Thanks! it worked!


Wednesday, September 11, 2019 - 1:22:27 PM - Adrian Ballester Back To Top (82369)

Thank you so much Ghanesh, I has helpd me a lot!


Wednesday, July 31, 2019 - 12:43:51 PM - Purnendu Mishra Back To Top (81919)

It worked for me. Thanks for sharing this.


Wednesday, May 15, 2019 - 10:13:58 AM - Jose Echevarria Back To Top (80088)

Excellent. Thanks. So we have Toolbox and SSIS Toolbox!


Friday, January 26, 2018 - 2:43:00 PM - Ashish Back To Top (75047)

Hi Ghanesh,

I had the similar issue after a fresh install of SSDT 2012. Your first solution did the trick.

Thanks for posting it.

Regards,

Ashish


Wednesday, October 25, 2017 - 5:52:24 AM - RK Back To Top (68764)

Good article, Thanks for the detailed description.


Wednesday, August 23, 2017 - 9:05:10 AM - oosaf hyatoolla Back To Top (65186)

 

 Thanks.That helps a lot.

 


Monday, August 21, 2017 - 9:15:30 AM - Fehmi Back To Top (65116)

 

Thnx. This helped 


Wednesday, August 16, 2017 - 12:46:29 PM - VickiO Back To Top (64919)

 I just recently installed Visual Studio 2015 and have been unable to find the SSIS Toolbox anywhere in the program.  I followed the instructions in your excellent article but neither method works for me because 1) the two buttons, including the SSIS Toolbox, that are supposed to be to the right of Package Explorer do not exist and 2) the menu View > Other Windows list does not list SSIS Toolbox as an option to choose.  Did I miss something in the program installation that is preventing me from seeing the SSIS Toolbox?  How do I get SSIS Toolbox installed/setup in Visual Studio 2015?  Any help would be greatly appreciated!!  Thanks!

 


Monday, July 31, 2017 - 1:39:01 PM - Mike Back To Top (63638)

 Thank you Ghanesh, very helpful! 

 


Thursday, May 4, 2017 - 2:00:23 PM - Deb Wolfe Back To Top (55446)

 Thanks Ghanesh.

 


Friday, February 3, 2017 - 1:49:38 AM - Ranjini Back To Top (45832)

 Thanks:)....both the methods worked for me...

 


Wednesday, January 11, 2017 - 3:13:31 PM - Laura Back To Top (45219)

 

THANK YOU!!!


Wednesday, October 12, 2016 - 12:01:18 PM - Peter Andrews Back To Top (43548)

 

Thank you! I was stopped cold in the middle of the SSIS tutorial until I found your post. By the way, method #2 does not work for me since SSIS Toolbox is not among 'Other Windows' (VS 2015 with SQL Data Tools)


Wednesday, December 30, 2015 - 8:29:33 PM - Rakesh K Pandey Back To Top (40336)

 Thanks Ghanesh!!!

 















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