1.4 Step 1: Importing Data into Excel
There are several ways to import data into Excel. Let’s begin by importing a Microsoft Access file. Then we will import a CSV (Comma Separated Values) file, and another Excel file.
When you import data into Excel, you don’t just copy the data once and lose the connection to the original file. Instead, Excel creates a data connection to the source and, if you tell it to do so, checks the file to see if its contents have changed and if your worksheet needs to be updated. You get to control how often Excel updates your worksheet data by displaying the external data range properties dialogue box.
Note: Technically, we really haven’t imported data into an Excel workbook until we select the “Load” option in the Power Query Editor. We are only viewing the data. We don’t “officially” bring the data into an Excel workbook until we select the “Load” choice from the Power Query Editor menu.
Practice Exercise 1: Import an Access Database table into Excel
STEP 6B: At the bottom of the Navigator screen, select the arrowhead next to the “Load” button. On the drop-down menu, select the “Load to” choice. This choice gives you options on where to load the CUSTOMERS table data. Selecting only the “Load” choice will only load the CUSTOMERS table into your current Excel worksheet (FIGURE 7).
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STEP 8: Our Access data table, “CUSTOMERS” has been converted into an Excel data table and loaded into our currently open worksheet (FIGURE 9).
END OF PRACTICE EXERCISE 1