.......connect to database....... .........upload CSV file .......... my $stmt ="DELETE FROM list" ; my $sth = $dbh->prepare($stmt); $sth->execute(); $stmt =qq/LOAD DATA LOCAL INFILE "..\/$csvtoupload" INTO TABLE list FIELDS TERMINATED BY "," OPTIONALLY ENCLOSED BY """" LINES TERMINATED BY "\r" IGNORE 1 LINES/; $sth = $dbh->prepare($stmt); $sth->execute(); unlink "../$csvtoupload" or die "Error deleting uploaded file: $!\n"; ...close db.....