When you import data, you insert a copy of one file into another—in this case, Access. When you import data into Access, Access creates a new table to store the data, using labels from the first row of a worksheet or table for the new table. If you need to keep the data in a separate file for use in other programs, you can also link your data to a table in Access, which allows you to keep both updated. You can import or link data from a variety of sources, such as dBase, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Exchange, Microsoft Outlook, HTML, Lotus 1-2-3, Paradox, SharePoint Team Services, and text files. You can use Access commands to edit the imported data.
Import Data from Another Source
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Open the database into which you want to import data.
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Click the File menu, point to Get External Data, and then click Import.
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Click the Files Of Type list arrow, and then click the type of file you are importing.
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Locate and select the file you want to import.
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Click Import.
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If necessary, follow the instructions in the Import wizard to set up the data as an Access table.
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Edit the imported information using Access commands and features, if necessary.
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Link Data from Another Source
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Open the database into which you want to link data.
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Click the File menu, point to Get External Data, and then click Link Tables.
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Click the Files Of Type list arrow, and then click the type of file you are importing.
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Locate and select the file in which you want to link.
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Click Link.
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If necessary, follow the instructions in the link wizard to set up the data as an Access table.
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From within the source program or Access, edit the linked information using the program's commands.
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You can identify linked tables. Right-click the table in the Object list in the Database window, and then click Properties on the shortcut menu. The property sheet shows that a table is linked to another data source and what that data source is.
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