Importing Data Monthly Issues

[Jimmy]

Monthly, I'll be importing a file that has 20+ columns. I'll also need to
add 3 additional columns that will have a drop-down box with several options.
When I import the next month's data, is it possible to retain the data in
the 3 new columns that is associated with the new records. Client Name would
be the primary field for all future reports, forms, etc. If I have Client A
and in one of the new columns had "active" as the entry for the field, when I
do the next import, will "active" still remain in the new column?

 

[Douglas J. Steele]

No offense, but I'd strongly advise reconsidering your design.

It's extremely rare to have to constantly add fields to a table: that's
almost always a sign that your tables aren't properly normalized. Since
you're talking about adding every month, I have to assume that the three new
fields have something to do with a specific month. If that's the case, it
sounds like a repeating group which should be handled as additional rows in
a related table, not additional columns in a single table.

As well "drop-down box" for a field implies you're using lookup fields,
which many of advise against (see
http://www.mvps.org/access/lookupfields.htm for some of the reasons why). It
also sounds as though you're having your users work directly with the
tables, which again is to be discouraged.