Import and overwrite?

[Ben]

Hi, I want to be able to import data from excel into a table from which a report is generated. However, quite often, the attributes within each record will change (obviously excluding the primary key). What I really want to be able to do is import the data and have any duplicates overwrite what is currently in the table as I am always interested in the most recent data. Is there any way to do this?

If not, one way I'm thinking I could possibly get around it is to change my primary key to an Autonumber field (currently I don't use any autonumbers in the table) and then run a find duplicates query on the field I am currently using as my primary key. Firstly, would this work? Secondly, having done this, how could I get the least recently acquired part of the duplicate to be ignored in the final report?

Sorry but I really am new to Access so haven't learned to much of the functionality yet, any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[RuralGuy]

Couldn't you just delete all of the current records in Access and just use all of the new import data?

[Ben]

No, because I want the reords which do not chnage to stay in the database. Not all of them will change, those that do I want to be overwritten, those that don't I want to stay as they are.

[RuralGuy]

So the only data being imported is data that has changed? In any event, it sounds like you need to import into a separate table and then update where appropriate.