Method and system for direct linkage of a relational database table for data preparation

A method, apparatus, and computer instructions for direct linkage of relational database table to a data preparation tool for data preparation. In a preferred embodiment, the mechanism of the present invention allows data to be read directly from one or more relational database tables to a data preparation tool into datasets without generating output flat files. Multiple datasets from different relational database table are merged into one dataset if more than one relational database table is read. Upon completion of necessary data preparation on the dataset by the data preparation tool, the present invention creates a new relational database table and loads resulting data from the prepared dataset into the new relational database table.