Is there any way to change the default datatype when importing an Excel file into Access? (I'm using Access 2003, by the way).
I know that I sometimes have the freedom to assign any datatype to each column that is being imported, but that could only be when I'm importing non-Excel files.
EDIT: To be clear, I understand that there is a step in the import process where you are allowed to change the datatype of the imported column.
In fact, that's what I'm asking about. For some reason - maybe it's always Excel files, maybe there's something else - I am sometimes not allowed to change the datatype: the dropdown box is grayed out and I just have to live with whatever datatype Access assumes is correct.
For example, I just tried importing a large-ish Excel file (12000+ rows, ~200 columns) in Access where column #105 (or something similar) was filled with mostly numbers (codes: 1=foo, 2=bar, etc), though there are a handful of alpha codes in there too (A=boo, B=far, etc). Access assumed it was a Number datatype (even after I changed the Format value in the Excel file itself) and so gave me errors on those alpha codes. If I had been allowed to change the datatype on import, it would have saved me some trouble.
Am I asking for something that Access just won't do, or am I missing something? Thanks.
EDIT: There are two answers below that give useful advice. Saving the Excel file as a CSV and then importing that works well and is straightforward like Chris OC says. The advice for saving an import specification is very helpful too. However, I chose the registry setting answer by DK as the "Accepted Answer". I liked it as an answer because it's a one-time-only step that can be used to solve my major problem (having Access incorrectly assign a datatype). In short, this solution doesn't allow me to change the datatype myself, but it makes Access accurately guess the datatype so that there are fewer issues.
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