Import a text file - Excel - Microsoft Office Online

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Import a text file

Applies to: Microsoft Office Excel 2003

Click the cell where you want to put the data from the text file.
To ensure that the external data (external data: Data that is stored outside of Excel. Examples include databases created in Access, dBASE, SQL Server, or on a Web server.) does not replace existing data, make sure that the worksheet has no data below or to the right of the cell you click.
On the Data menu, point to Import External Data, and then click Import Data.
In the Files of type box, click Text Files.
In the Look in list, locate and double-click the text file you want to import as an external data range (external data range: A range of data that is brought into a worksheet but that originates outside of Excel, such as in a database or text file. In Excel, you can format the data or use it in calculations as you would any other data.).
To specify how you want to divide the text into columns, follow the instructions in the Text Import Wizard, and then click Finish.
In the Import Data dialog box, click Properties to set formatting and layout options for the imported data.
In the Import Data dialog box, do one of the following:
- To return the data to the location you selected, click Existing worksheet, and then click OK.
- To return the data to a new worksheet, click New worksheet, and then click OK. Microsoft Excel adds a new worksheet to your workbook and automatically puts the external data range in the upper-left corner of the new worksheet.