linked table to excel and datatype

[Guest]

Hi

I have a table that is linked to an excel spreedsheet. In the spreadsheet
there is a coloumn where the format is text (but there is a number shown). My
problem is that in access the datatype is set to number. I want the datatype
in access to be text. How can I change this in a linked table enviroment?

regards
ticotion

 

[John W. Vinson]

Hi

I have a table that is linked to an excel spreedsheet. In the spreadsheet
there is a coloumn where the format is text (but there is a number shown). My
problem is that in access the datatype is set to number. I want the datatype
in access to be text. How can I change this in a linked table enviroment?

Excel doesn't have strong data typing, so Access must guess at the datatype
based on cell contents. As you have seen, it can and will guess wrong.

If you can, include a dummy row at the top of the spreadsheet with an
unambiguous text value in the first row of each column of such data. It may
also help to put an apostrophe before the value - e.g. for Zip codes put
'83660 rather than just 83660 in the cell.

John W. Vinson [MVP]