If you're writing applications to update your database with either new or modified records, you've got several options with ADO. You can create a dynamic recordset, which allows you to add new records or update existing ones. You can also create SQL statements to perform inserts, updates, and deletes and use the Execute method of the Connection object to fire them off. You can also create stored procedures with parameters and use them with the Command object.
The fastest way to run your SQL is through stored procedures. All of the SQL statements can benefit by being saved as stored procedures. Saving the stored procedure also saves the execution plan, which for inserts and updates, includes how to update any indexes related to the tables.
If you don't have the ability to create stored procedures, executing SQL statements is the next fastest way to make this work. The system does have to create the execution plan on the fly; however, it doesn't take nearly as long as opening a dynamic recordset and making updates to it.