title: Importing Excel spreadsheet data into existing Access DB
body: <p>I've designed an Access 2003 DB with 3 tables: APPLICATIONS, SERVERS, and INSTALLATIONS. Records in the APPLICATIONS and SERVERS tables are uniquely identified by a synthetic primary key (in Access, an "auto number"). The INSTALLATIONS table is essentially a mapping table between APPLICATIONS and SERVERS: it's a list of records of which applications are installed on which servers. A record in the INSTALLATIONS table is also identified by a synthetic primary key, and it consists of an APPLICATION_ID and SERVER_ID for the records in their respective tables.</p>
  
  <p>I have an Excel 2003 spreadsheet I would like to import into this database, but it's proving difficult. The spreadsheet is made up of several tabs/worksheets, each one representing a server with its own listing of installed applications. I'm not sure how to proceed with an import - the "Get External Data --> Import" feature in Access has an import "In an Existing Table" option, but it's greyed out. I'm also unsure how I build the relationships between applications and servers for importing records into the INSTALLATIONS table.</p>
  
  <p>I had previously fooled around with adding some security to the Access DB file. I think I removed everything but perhaps I didn't and that's causing the problem? </p>
  
  <p>Some sample data from the Excel spreadsheet:</p>
  
  <p><strong>SERVER101</strong><br>
  * Adobe Reader 9<br>
  * BMC Remedy User 7.0<br>
  * HostExplorer 2008<br>
  * Microsoft Office 2003<br>
  * Microsoft Office 2007<br>
  * Notepad++  </p>
  
  <p><strong>SERVER102</strong><br>
  * Adobe Reader 9<br>
  * DameWare Mini Remote Control<br>
  * Microsoft Office 2003<br>
  * Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 SP1<br>
  * Oracle 9.2  </p>
  
  <p><strong>SERVER103</strong><br>
  * AWDView<br>
  * EXTRA! Personal Client 32-bit<br>
  * Microsoft Office 2003<br>
  * Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 SP1<br>
  * Snagit 9.1<br>
  * WinZip 12.1   </p>
  
  <p>The Access DB design is very simple:</p>
  
  <p><strong>APPLICATION</strong><br>
  * APPLICATION_ID (autonumber)<br>
  * APPLICATION_NAME (varchar)  </p>
  
  <p><strong>SERVER</strong><br>
  * SERVER_ID (autonumber)<br>
  * SERVER_NAME (varchar)  </p>
  
  <p><strong>INSTALLATION</strong><br>
  * INSTALLATION_ID (autonumber)<br>
  * APPLICATION_ID (number)<br>
  * SERVER_ID (number)  </p>