title: Change datatype when importing Excel file into Access
body: <p>Is there any way to change the default datatype when importing an Excel file into Access? (I'm using Access 2003, by the way).</p>
  
  <p>I know that I sometimes have the freedom to assign any datatype to each column that is being imported, but that could only be when I'm importing non-Excel files. </p>
  
  <p><strong>EDIT:</strong> To be clear, I understand that there is a step in the import process where you are allowed to change the datatype of the imported column. </p>
  
  <p>In fact, that's what I'm asking about. For some reason - maybe it's always Excel files, maybe there's something else - I am sometimes not allowed to change the datatype: the dropdown box is grayed out and I just have to live with whatever datatype Access assumes is correct.</p>
  
  <p>For example, I just tried importing a large-ish Excel file (<strong>12000+ rows, ~200 columns</strong>) in Access where column #105 (or something similar) was filled with mostly numbers (codes: <code>1=foo, 2=bar</code>, etc), though there are a handful of alpha codes in there too (A=boo, B=far, etc). Access assumed it was a <code>Number</code> datatype (even after I changed the <code>Format</code> value in the Excel file itself) and so gave me errors on those alpha codes. If I had been allowed to change the datatype on import, it would have saved me some trouble.</p>
  
  <p>Am I asking for something that Access just won't do, or am I missing something? Thanks.</p>
  
  <p><strong>EDIT:</strong> There are two answers below that give useful advice. Saving the Excel file as a CSV and then importing that works well and is straightforward like <a href="https://stackoverflow.com/questions/122422/change-datatype-when-importing-excel-file-into-access#122588">Chris OC</a> says. The advice for saving an import specification is very helpful too. However, I chose the registry setting answer by <a href="https://stackoverflow.com/questions/122422/change-datatype-when-importing-excel-file-into-access#122504">DK</a> as the "Accepted Answer". I liked it as an answer because it's a <em>one-time-only step</em> that can be used to solve my major problem (having Access incorrectly assign a datatype). In short, this solution doesn't allow me to change the datatype myself, but it makes Access accurately guess the datatype so that there are fewer issues.</p>