Help me merge Excel with Access:

July 2, 2007 6:40 AM

How do I add a 4,000 name MS Excel file to an existing MS Access database?

I have a MS Access 2003 database of 15,000 names (with addresses and other info). I would like to add a 4,000 name Excel list to the Access database and am willing to buy a program or pay for the service. What's the best way to do this? This is Windows XP.

posted by 2bucksplus to technology (3 answers total)

Access has an 'import' feature. You can just use that!

file-get external data-import

from there you can choose to import it into a new access table or an existing one.
posted by misanthropicsarah at 6:45 AM on July 2, 2007 [1 favorite]

misanthropicsarah speaks truth. Practice on another copy of your Access file first because it'll ask several questions and give significant options. Try it and don't sweat too much about getting it right, just see how it works, operating on copies until your copy is they way you want it, then make your copy your primary version.

You might want to compact and repair your database (Tools menu > Database Utilities > Compact and Repair Database) at the end of the process to clean up wasted space within the Access file that builds up over time.
posted by NortonDC at 7:42 AM on July 2, 2007

If the format is eactly the same, you can just copy/paste the rows. I did 950 rows this way today.
posted by Four Flavors at 4:03 PM on July 2, 2007