Can I change the data type when importing an Excel list to Access

  • Thread starter Thread starter Guest
  • Start date Start date
G

Guest

When I import an Excel list to Access database through the Import wizard, I
can see the Data type combo in the Import wizard. However I can't change it.

Can I change the data type when importing an Excel list to Access database?
 
Hi Bobby,

Current and recent versions of Access don't allow you to specify a data
type as you import.

Often you can work round this by creating a table with the right field
names and types, and then importing the data from Excel into this table.
Or import the data as it comes and then change the data type of the
field in question (if necessary, by adding a new field of the right type
to the table and then using an update query to populate it).
 
I frequenty encounter the same problems. You can force some changes in data
type by changing the Excel column formatting. Often a column will be
formatted "General" when it is really Text or Long Integer, and Access seems
to pick that up.

The other way is more involved, but I frequently export the data from Excel
into a tab-delimited text file, then import the text into Access because the
columns then are changeable, and you can also save a template.
 
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