Importing Excel spreadsheet and appending it to an existing table

[Access_Novice]

Hello all,



I have an existing table set up. I want to import an Excel spreadsheet (from a download) and append the data to an existing Access table. I do not have field names on it, and I want to import the data this way. When I import the data, Access displays a message saying that the data I have does not have valid field names and that Access will assign them for me. The first row of data is used as field names. Then there is a screen where you can mark a checkbox with "First Row Contains Column Headings." But when I get to that step, it is already selected by default and it is grayed out. Why is this the case? I want to unselect that and just import the raw data. The field values would still line up with the fields in the Access table.

In short, I want to import the raw data w/o field names. Is this possible?

[ssanfu]

it is already selected by default and it is grayed out. Why is this the case? I want to unselect that and just import the raw data. The field values would still line up with the fields in the Access table.

You know that the columns in Excel line up with the fields in Access, but Access doesn't. So rather than corrupt the existing data, Access gives an error message.

So I see your choices as:
1) add a line at the top of the Excel sheet with the existing Access field names, then import the Excel data (couold be the easiest)
2) import the Excel data into a new table in Access, then run an append query to move the data from the tmp table to the existing table.
3) use VBA to open the Excel spreadsheet, read the data cell by cell and insert the data into the Access table. (Lots of code)

[Access_Novice]

I was thinking that I would have to do #1. I think I'll go with that. Thank you for your reply.

[NoellaG]

Hi,

I imported a lot of excel sheets and never had the problem that Access insisted on using the first row as fieldnames. If I don't check the 'First row contains ' in the first step of the wizard, Access just uses names as field1, field2, ... .