About exchanging data between Excel and Access

Copy Access records to Excel

• From Access, you can copy data from any datasheet view or data access page control and then paste the data into Excel. Use this method when you want a static snapshot of a few selected Access records.

• You can also save the data from an Access table, query, form, or report to an Excel workbook. Use this method to make a static copy of large amounts of Access data.

Note  Use these methods when you don't need to refresh the data in Excel every time the Access database changes.

Link Excel data into an Access database    You can link an Excel range into an Access database as a table. Use this approach when you plan to continue maintaining the range in Excel but also want it to be available from within Access. You can view data in the linked Excel range from within the Access database. You create this type of link from within the Access database, not from Excel. For more information, see Access Help.

Import Excel data into an Access database    If you're working in Access and want to copy data from an Excel workbook into your database, you can import the data into Access. Use this method to bring a copy of a small amount of data that you intend to continue maintaining in Excel into an existing Access database, without having to retype the data.

Convert an Excel range to an Access database    If you have a large Excel range that you want to move permanently to an Access database, in order to take advantage of the Access data management capabilities, security, or multiuser capabilities, you can convert the data from Excel to an Access database. Use this method when you want to move the data from Excel into Access and use and maintain the data in Access from then on.

Create an Access report from Excel data    If you are familiar with designing Access reports and want to summarize and organize your Excel data in this type of report, you can create an Access report from the data in your Excel range. For more information about designing and using Access reports, refer to Access Help.

Use an Access form to enter Excel data    If you want to use a customized form to enter, find, or delete data in an Excel range, you can create an Access form for your range. For example, you can create an Access form that lets you type the entries for an Excel range in a different order from the order of the columns on your worksheet. Use this method if you want specific features available in Access forms. For more information about designing and using Access forms, refer to Access Help.