Export data from Excel to Access (ADO)

If you want to export data to an Access table from an Excel worksheet, the macro example below shows how this can be done:

Sub ADOFromExcelToAccess()
' exports data from the active worksheet to a table in an Access database
' this procedure must be edited before use
Dim cn As ADODB.Connection, rs As ADODB.Recordset, r As Long
    ' connect to the Access database
    Set cn = New ADODB.Connection
    cn.Open "Provider=Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0; " & _
        "Data Source=C:\FolderName\DataBaseName.mdb;"
    ' open a recordset
    Set rs = New ADODB.Recordset
    rs.Open "TableName", cn, adOpenKeyset, adLockOptimistic, adCmdTable  
    ' all records in a table
    r = 3 ' the start row in the worksheet
    Do While Len(Range("A" & r).Formula) > 0 
    ' repeat until first empty cell in column A
        With rs
            .AddNew ' create a new record
            ' add values to each field in the record
            .Fields("FieldName1") = Range("A" & r).Value
            .Fields("FieldName2") = Range("B" & r).Value
            .Fields("FieldNameN") = Range("C" & r).Value
            ' add more fields if necessary...
            .Update ' stores the new record
        End With
        r = r + 1 ' next row
    Loop
    rs.Close
    Set rs = Nothing
    cn.Close
    Set cn = Nothing
End Sub

The macro example assumes that your VBA project has added a reference to the ADO object library.
You can do this from within the VBE by selecting the menu Tools, References and selecting Microsoft ActiveX Data Objects x.x Object Library.
Use ADO if you can choose between ADO and DAO for data import or export.

Below is an extended example that shows how you can export data from multiple workbooks:

Sub ExportMultipleFiles()
Dim fn As Variant, f As Integer
Dim cn As ADODB.Connection
    ' select one or more files
    fn = Application.GetOpenFilename("Excel-files,*.xls", _
        1, "Select One Or More Files To Open", , True)
    If TypeName(fn) = "Boolean" Then Exit Sub
    ' connect to the Access database
    Set cn = New ADODB.Connection
    On Error GoTo DisplayErrorMessage
    cn.Open "Provider=Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0; " & _
        "Data Source=C:\FolderName\DataBaseName.mdb;"
    On Error GoTo 0
    If cn.State <> adStateOpen Then
        Exit Sub
    End If
    
    Application.ScreenUpdating = False
    ' repeat for each selected file
    For f = LBound(fn) To UBound(fn)
        Debug.Print "Selected file #" & f & ": " & fn(f)
        Application.StatusBar = "Exporting data from " & fn(f) & "..."
        ExportFromExcelToAccess cn, CStr(fn(f))
        Application.StatusBar = False
    Next f
    Application.ScreenUpdating = True
    ' close the database connection
    cn.Close
    Set cn = Nothing
    MsgBox "The data export has finished!", vbInformation, ThisWorkbook.Name
    Exit Sub

DisplayErrorMessage:
    MsgBox Err.Description, vbExclamation, ThisWorkbook.Name
    Resume Next
End Sub

Sub ExportFromExcelToAccess(cn As ADODB.Connection, strFullFileName As String)
' exports data from a workbook to a table in an Access database
' this procedure must be edited before use
Dim wb As Workbook, rs As ADODB.Recordset, r As Long, f As Integer
    If cn Is Nothing Then Exit Sub
    If cn.State <> adStateOpen Then Exit Sub
    
    ' open the source workbook
    On Error GoTo DisplayErrorMessage
    Set wb = Workbooks.Open(strFullFileName, True, True)
    On Error GoTo 0
    If wb Is Nothing Then Exit Sub ' failed to open the workbook
    
    ' activate the proper data source worksheet
    wb.Worksheets(1).Activate
    
    ' create a new recordset
    Set rs = New ADODB.Recordset
    ' open a recordset, all records in a table
    On Error GoTo DisplayErrorMessage
    rs.Open "TableName", cn, adOpenKeyset, adLockOptimistic, adCmdTable
    ' or open an empty recordset using a sql query that returns no records
    'rs.Open "select * from TableName where SomeFieldName = -1", _
    '    cn, adOpenKeyset, adLockOptimistic, adCmdText
    On Error GoTo 0
    If rs.State = adStateOpen Then ' successfully opened the recordset
        r = 2 ' the first row containing data in the worksheet
        Do While Len(Range("A" & r).Formula) > 0
            ' repeat until the first empty cell in column A
            With rs
                .AddNew ' create a new record
                ' add values to each field in the record
                For f = 1 To .Fields.Count
                    .Fields(f - 1).Value = Cells(r, f).Value
                Next f
                .Update ' stores the new record
            End With
            r = r + 1 ' next row
        Loop
        rs.Close
    End If
    Set rs = Nothing
    
    ' close the source workbook without saving any changes
    wb.Close False
    Exit Sub
    
DisplayErrorMessage:
    MsgBox Err.Description, vbExclamation, ThisWorkbook.Name
    Resume Next
End Sub

Document last updated 2005-02-01 20:32:10 Printerfriendly version

User comments:

Ole P. from Norway wrote (2006-11-16 08:58:12 CET):

Re: Delete previous data in the table
Depending on your SQL database type, something like this should work:
strSQL = "delete * from tablename" ' replace tablename
' or: strSQL = "truncate tablename" ' replace tablename

cn.Execute strSQL

The connection variable cn must be opened with write access and the user must have the proper rights to delete data from the table.

ALF from USA wrote (2006-11-16 00:40:55 CET):

Delette previous data in the table
Wow, this is great.

This adds the data to an existing table, what if I want to replace the content of the table each time I run the Macro (In other word, delette all the data in the table before I run this macro).

Thank you.

Ole P. from Norway wrote (2006-09-10 22:41:09 CET):

Re: Export from Excel to Access
You can run SQL commands to create a new table, e.g. like this:
strSQL = "CREATE TABLE tablename ("
strSQL = strSQL & "LastName varchar, "
strSQL = strSQL & "FirstName varchar, "
strSQL = strSQL & "Address varchar, "
strSQL = strSQL & "Age int "
strSQL = strSQL & ")"

cn.Execute strSQL

You can learn more about SQL at W3 Schools.

Gene Davis from Everett, Washington wrote (2006-09-10 02:04:10 CET):

Export from Excel to Access
This works great for exporting to an existing table in Access. How do I modify this solution to create a NEW table in Access from an Excel spreadsheet, complete with column headings? Similar to the 'Transfer Spreadsheet' action in Access.
Thanks

Vic from Johannesburg, South Africa wrote (2006-06-09 16:26:09 CET):

Big up guys
This a great site

Mahesh from Bangalore, India wrote (2006-06-02 15:41:18 CET):

Wonderfull code
This is really a wonderfull site

Shep from Lincoln, UK wrote (2006-05-23 11:41:40 CET):

Brilliant!
This worked perfectly. Thanks for your help.

Ole P. from Norway wrote (2006-02-16 21:09:32 CET):

Re: Great stuff. Used lots of information from here but. . .?
You can use SQL statements to update a table with multiple records, e.g. like this:
insert into TableName1 select * from TableName2 where SomeField = 'dummy'

ADO also supports a batch update mode where you can update all record changes at once, and rollback if the update fails. Using this method you will still have to add, change or delete one record at the time in your code, before you finally submit the changes to the database.
You will find lots of examples if you search Google Groups for "ADO adLockBatchOptimistic"

Barry ( iwrk4dedpr ) from Colorado Springs, CO, USA wrote (2006-02-16 19:48:13 CET):

Great stuff. Used lots of information from here but. . .?
Most of your examples involve using data on a worksheet to update a database, and it would seem that it is one record at a time. I've found another site ( XL-Dennis ) that showed me how to import en masse from excel to Access. But now I'm wondering.
I'm attempting to get away from excel. So let's say I have an array of information ( existing in memory only ) how can I use that array to update the database? Some arrays may be quite huge so I'd like to not do this 1 record at a time.

Shar wrote (2005-11-30 06:22:25 CET):

Error while opening workbook
I am using the code to export data from excel file to access database. When the control comes to the following line in ExportFromExcelToAccess sub, it does not do anything, but automatically goes to the beginning of macro.
Set wb = Workbooks.Open(strFullFileName, True, True)
Please let me know what could be wrong.