Hi Karl,
One can't actually "convert" an Excel file into an Access file. The
process is one of creating an Access database and importing data from
the Excel worksheet(s). After that it's usually necessary to restructure
the data in order to play to Access's strengths: databases and
spreadsheets are very different things.
First, make sure that the data in Excel is in good shape. In Excel, you
can type pretty much anything into any cell: numbers, text, dates,
formulas, whatever. You can also freely add headings, subheadings,
totals, merged cells and so on.
In an Access table, by contrast, each field (column) has to have a set
data type (e.g. Text, Date/Time, Long Integer). If there are multiple
types of data within individual columns in your Excel worksheet, there
will be problems importing it/ It helps if you make sure that all the
values in the first row of data are all characteristic of the types you
want Access to assign to those columns. E.g. if a column contains a mix
of numbers and text - such as 923, 34A, EW342... - make sure that the
value in the first row cannot be interpreted as a number.
Likewise, there mustn't be any headings, subheadings, or totals in the
worksheet (except for the first row, which can contain text that Access
will use for field names).
Normally, Access tries to import the whole of the data on the worksheet.
Sometimes you only want to import a table that occupies part of the
worksheet; sometimes Access tries to import too much of the sheet even
if there is nothing else on it. On way to get round this is to copy the
data you want to import onto a new worksheet, starting at cell A1.
Once the Excel data is ready to import, go to Access and open or create
your database. Then use File|Get External Data|Import, select the
appropriate file type and file, and follow the instructions in the
wizard.
If the wizard doesn't appear, or if Excel files are not listed (these
are quite common problems) post back here for a solution.
