unable to import Access database?

[captsalmon]

Version: 2008 Operating System: Mac OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard) Processor: Intel I have an Access database that I use and import into Windows Excel all the time, but am unable to do so with Mac Excel 2008. Am I wrong in believing that MAC-Excel does not allow import of Access data without buying more third-party software?

 

[Jim Gordon Mac MVP]

Version: 2008 Operating System: Mac OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard) Processor:
Intel I have an Access database that I use and import into Windows Excel
all the time, but am unable to do so with Mac Excel 2008. Am I wrong in
believing that MAC-Excel does not allow import of Access data without
buying more third-party software?

Hi,

You are correct. Neither Microsoft nor Apple provide ODBC drivers for
Mac with their products. You will need to purchase an ODBC driver for
about $30 US.

There articles are little dated, but the connectivity aspects apply
equally to Office 2004 and Office 2008:

Macintosh, Microsoft Office 2004, and Microsoft Access (This will
download a Microsoft Word document.)
http://www.agentjim.com/MVP/Excel/Office2004andAccess.doc

Microsoft Office For Macintosh Database Connectivity Overview
http://www.agentjim.com/MVP/Excel/ODBC/OfficeDBConnectivity.htm

Using Microsoft Office as a Relational Database
http://www.agentjim.com/MVP/Excel/RelationalOffice.htm

-Jim

 

[CyberTaz]

It depends on your definition of "import". As Jim says, you need ODBC
capability to dynamically interact with an Access file. However, the Excel
files exported by Access can be used by Mac Excel the same as Win Excel.

Regards |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

 

[Jim Gordon Mac MVP]

It depends on your definition of "import". As Jim says, you need ODBC
capability to dynamically interact with an Access file. However, the Excel
files exported by Access can be used by Mac Excel the same as Win Excel.

Regards |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

As Bob points out, you can save the $30 by using the Export feature of
Microsoft Access, where you can export a result set or a table as an
Excel spreadsheet. This presumes that you have the PC with the Access
database physically in front of you, or you can use the free Remote
Desktop Connection client to control that PC from your Mac. Details
about RDC are here:
http://www.microsoft.com/mac/products/remote-desktop/default.mspx

Exporting spreadsheets from Access does not allow you to create linked
data the way ODBC does, so if the data changes your workbooks won't be
able to update without re-exporting everything from Access again.

-Jim