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Access VBA – Import / Export Excel – Query, Report, Table, and Forms

Written by

Editorial Team

Reviewed by

Steve Rynearson

Last updated on July 9, 2022

This tutorial will cover the ways to import data from Excel into an Access Table and ways to export Access objects (Queries, Reports, Tables, or Forms) to Excel.

Import Excel File Into Access

To import an Excel file to Access, use the acImport option of DoCmd.TransferSpreadsheet :

DoCmd.TransferSpreadsheet acImport, acSpreadsheetTypeExcel12, "Table1", "C:\Temp\Book1.xlsx", True

Or you can use DoCmd.TransferText to import a CSV file:

DoCmd.TransferText acLinkDelim, , "Table1", "C:\Temp\Book1.xlsx", True

Import Excel to Access Function

This function can be used to import an Excel file or CSV file into an Access Table:

Public Function ImportFile(Filename As String, HasFieldNames As Boolean, TableName As String) As Boolean
' Example usage: call ImportFile ("Select an Excel File",  "Excel Files", "*.xlsx",  "C:\" , True,True, "ExcelImportTest", True, True,false,True)

    On Error GoTo err_handler
  
    If (Right(Filename, 3) = "xls") Or ((Right(Filename, 4) = "xlsx")) Then
                DoCmd.TransferSpreadsheet acImport, acSpreadsheetTypeExcel12, TableName, Filename, blnHasFieldNames
            End If
    If (Right(Filename, 3) = "csv") Then
                DoCmd.TransferText acLinkDelim, , TableName, Filename, True
    End If
    
Exit_Thing:

    'Clean up
    'Check if our linked in Excel table already exists... and delete it if so
    If ObjectExists("Table", TableName) = True Then DropTable (TableName)
    Set colWorksheets = Nothing

    Exit Function
    
err_handler:
    If (Err.Number = 3086 Or Err.Number = 3274 Or Err.Number = 3073) And errCount < 3 Then
        errCount = errCount + 1

    ElseIf Err.Number = 3127 Then
        MsgBox "The fields in all the tabs are the same. Please make sure that each sheet has the exact column names if you wish to import mulitple", vbCritical, "MultiSheets not identical"
        ImportFile = False
        GoTo Exit_Thing
    Else
        MsgBox Err.Number & " - " & Err.Description
        ImportFile = False
        GoTo Exit_Thing
        Resume
    End If
End Function

You can call the function like this:

Private Sub ImportFile_Example()
 Call VBA_Access_ImportExport.ImportFile("C:\Temp\Book1.xlsx", True, "Imported_Table_1")
End Sub

Access VBA Export to New Excel File

To export an Access object to a new Excel file, use the DoCmd.OutputTo method or the DoCmd.TransferSpreadsheet method:

Export Query to Excel

This line of VBA code will export a Query to Excel using DoCmd.OutputTo:

DoCmd.OutputTo acOutputQuery, "Query1", acFormatXLSX, "c:\temp\ExportedQuery.xls"

Or you can use the DoCmd.TransferSpreadsheet method instead:

DoCmd.TransferSpreadsheet acExport, acSpreadsheetTypeExcel8, "Query1", "c:\temp\ExportedQuery.xls", True

Note: This code exports to XLSX format. Instead you can update the arguments to export to a CSV or XLS file format instead (ex. acFormatXLSX to acFormatXLS).

Export Report to Excel

This line of code will export a Report to Excel using DoCmd.OutputTo:

DoCmd.OutputTo acOutputReport, "Report1", acFormatXLSX, "c:\temp\ExportedReport.xls"

Or you can use the DoCmd.TransferSpreadsheet method instead:

DoCmd.TransferSpreadsheet acExport, acSpreadsheetTypeExcel8, "Report1", "c:\temp\ExportedReport.xls", True

Export Table to Excel

This line of code will export a Table to Excel using DoCmd.OutputTo:

DoCmd.OutputTo acOutputTable, "Table1", acFormatXLSX, "c:\temp\ExportedTable.xls"

Or you can use the DoCmd.TransferSpreadsheet method instead:

DoCmd.TransferSpreadsheet acExport, acSpreadsheetTypeExcel8, "Table1", "c:\temp\ExportedTable.xls", True

Export Form to Excel

This line of code will export a Form to Excel using DoCmd.OutputTo:

DoCmd.OutputTo acOutputForm, "Form1", acFormatXLSX, "c:\temp\ExportedForm.xls"

Or you can use the DoCmd.TransferSpreadsheet method instead:

DoCmd.TransferSpreadsheet acExport, acSpreadsheetTypeExcel8, "Form1", "c:\temp\ExportedForm.xls", True

Export to Excel Functions

These one line commands work great to export to a new Excel file. However, they will not be able to export into an existing workbook.  In the section below we introduce functions that allow you to append your export to an existing Excel file.

Below that, we’ve included some additional functions to export to new Excel files, including error handling and more.

Export to Existing Excel File

The above code examples work great to export Access objects to a new Excel file.  However, they will not be able to export into an existing workbook.

To export Access objects to an existing Excel workbook we’ve created the following function:

Public Function AppendToExcel(strObjectType As String, strObjectName As String, strSheetName As String, strFileName As String)

    Dim rst As DAO.Recordset
    Dim ApXL As Excel.Application
    Dim xlWBk As Excel.Workbook
    Dim xlWSh As Excel.Worksheet
    Dim intCount As Integer
    Const xlToRight As Long = -4161
    Const xlCenter As Long = -4108
    Const xlBottom As Long = -4107
    Const xlContinuous As Long = 1
      
    Select Case strObjectType

    Case "Table", "Query"
        Set rst = CurrentDb.OpenRecordset(strObjectName, dbOpenDynaset, dbSeeChanges)
    Case "Form"
        Set rst = Forms(strObjectName).RecordsetClone
    Case "Report"
        Set rst = CurrentDb.OpenRecordset(Reports(strObjectName).RecordSource, dbOpenDynaset, dbSeeChanges)
    End Select

    If rst.RecordCount = 0 Then
        MsgBox "No records to be exported.", vbInformation, GetDBTitle
    Else
        On Error Resume Next
        Set ApXL = GetObject(, "Excel.Application")
        If Err.Number <> 0 Then
            Set ApXL = CreateObject("Excel.Application")
        End If
        Err.Clear

        ApXL.Visible = False
        
        Set xlWBk = ApXL.Workbooks.Open(strFileName)
        Set xlWSh = xlWBk.Sheets.Add
        xlWSh.Name = Left(strSheetName, 31)

        
        xlWSh.Range("A1").Select
        Do Until intCount = rst.fields.Count
            ApXL.ActiveCell = rst.fields(intCount).Name
            ApXL.ActiveCell.Offset(0, 1).Select
            intCount = intCount + 1
        Loop

        rst.MoveFirst
        
        xlWSh.Range("A2").CopyFromRecordset rst

        With ApXL
            .Range("A1").Select
            .Range(.Selection, .Selection.End(xlToRight)).Select
            .Selection.Interior.Pattern = xlSolid
            .Selection.Interior.PatternColorIndex = xlAutomatic
            .Selection.Interior.TintAndShade = -0.25
            .Selection.Interior.PatternTintAndShade = 0
            .Selection.Borders.LineStyle = xlNone
            .Selection.AutoFilter
            .Cells.EntireColumn.AutoFit
            .Cells.EntireRow.AutoFit
            .Range("B2").Select
            .ActiveWindow.FreezePanes = True
            .ActiveSheet.Cells.Select
            .ActiveSheet.Cells.WrapText = False
            .ActiveSheet.Cells.EntireColumn.AutoFit
            xlWSh.Range("A1").Select
            .Visible = True
        End With

        'xlWB.Close True
        'Set xlWB = Nothing
        'ApXL.Quit
        'Set ApXL = Nothing
    End If
End Function

You can use the function like this:

Private Sub AppendToExcel_Example()
    Call VBA_Access_ImportExport.ExportToExcel("Table", "Table1", "VBASheet", "C:\Temp\Test.xlsx")
End Sub

Notice you are asked to define:

  • What to Output? Table, Report, Query, or Form
  • Object Name
  • Output Sheet Name
  • Output File Path and Name.

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Export SQL Query to Excel

Instead you can export an SQL query to Excel using a similar function:

Public Function AppendToExcelSQLStatemet(strsql As String, strSheetName As String, strFileName As String)
    Dim strQueryName As String
    Dim ApXL As Excel.Application
    Dim xlWBk As Excel.Workbook
    Dim xlWSh As Excel.Worksheet
    Dim intCount As Integer
    Const xlCenter As Long = -4108
    Const xlBottom As Long = -4107
    Const xlVAlignCenter = -4108
    Const xlContinuous As Long = 1
    Dim qdf As DAO.QueryDef
    Dim rst As DAO.Recordset
    
    strQueryName = "tmpQueryToExportToExcel"

    If ObjectExists("Query", strQueryName) Then
        CurrentDb.QueryDefs.Delete strQueryName
    End If
    Set qdf = CurrentDb.CreateQueryDef(strQueryName, strsql)
    Set rst = CurrentDb.OpenRecordset(strQueryName, dbOpenDynaset)

    If rst.RecordCount = 0 Then
        MsgBox "No records to be exported.", vbInformation, GetDBTitle
    Else
        On Error Resume Next
        Set ApXL = GetObject(, "Excel.Application")
        If Err.Number <> 0 Then
            Set ApXL = CreateObject("Excel.Application")
        End If
        Err.Clear

        ApXL.Visible = False
        
        Set xlWBk = ApXL.Workbooks.Open(strFileName)
        Set xlWSh = xlWBk.Sheets.Add
        xlWSh.Name = Left(strSheetName, 31)

        
        xlWSh.Range("A1").Select
        Do Until intCount = rst.fields.Count
            ApXL.ActiveCell = rst.fields(intCount).Name
            ApXL.ActiveCell.Offset(0, 1).Select
            intCount = intCount + 1
        Loop

        rst.MoveFirst
        
        xlWSh.Range("A2").CopyFromRecordset rst

        With ApXL
            .Range("A1").Select
            .Range(.Selection, .Selection.End(xlToRight)).Select
            .Selection.Interior.Pattern = xlSolid
            .Selection.Interior.PatternColorIndex = xlAutomatic
            .Selection.Interior.TintAndShade = -0.25
            .Selection.Interior.PatternTintAndShade = 0
            .Selection.Borders.LineStyle = xlNone
            .Selection.AutoFilter
            .Cells.EntireColumn.AutoFit
            .Cells.EntireRow.AutoFit
            .Range("B2").Select
            .ActiveWindow.FreezePanes = True
            .ActiveSheet.Cells.Select
            .ActiveSheet.Cells.WrapText = False
            .ActiveSheet.Cells.EntireColumn.AutoFit
            xlWSh.Range("A1").Select
            .Visible = True
        End With


        'xlWB.Close True
        'Set xlWB = Nothing
        'ApXL.Quit
        'Set ApXL = Nothing
    End If
End Function

Called like this:

Private Sub AppendToExcelSQLStatemet_Example()
    Call VBA_Access_ImportExport.ExportToExcel("SELECT * FROM Table1", "VBASheet", "C:\Temp\Test.xlsx")
End Sub

Where you are asked to input:

  • SQL Query
  • Output Sheet Name
  • Output File Path and Name.

Function to Export to New Excel File

These functions allow you to export Access objects to a new Excel workbook. You might find them more useful than the simple single lines at the top of the document.

Public Function ExportToExcel(strObjectType As String, strObjectName As String, Optional strSheetName As String, Optional strFileName As String)

    Dim rst As DAO.Recordset
    Dim ApXL As Object
    Dim xlWBk As Object
    Dim xlWSh As Object
    Dim intCount As Integer
    Const xlToRight As Long = -4161
    Const xlCenter As Long = -4108
    Const xlBottom As Long = -4107
    Const xlContinuous As Long = 1

    On Error GoTo ExportToExcel_Err
    DoCmd.Hourglass True

    Select Case strObjectType

    Case "Table", "Query"
        Set rst = CurrentDb.OpenRecordset(strObjectName, dbOpenDynaset, dbSeeChanges)
    Case "Form"
        Set rst = Forms(strObjectName).RecordsetClone
    Case "Report"
        Set rst = CurrentDb.OpenRecordset(Reports(strObjectName).RecordSource, dbOpenDynaset, dbSeeChanges)
    End Select

    If rst.RecordCount = 0 Then
        MsgBox "No records to be exported.", vbInformation, GetDBTitle
        DoCmd.Hourglass False
    Else
        On Error Resume Next
        Set ApXL = GetObject(, "Excel.Application")
        If Err.Number <> 0 Then
            Set ApXL = CreateObject("Excel.Application")
        End If
        Err.Clear
        On Error GoTo ExportToExcel_Err

        Set xlWBk = ApXL.Workbooks.Add
        ApXL.Visible = False

        Set xlWSh = xlWBk.Worksheets("Sheet1")
        If Len(strSheetName) > 0 Then
            xlWSh.Name = Left(strSheetName, 31)
        End If

        xlWSh.Range("A1").Select
        Do Until intCount = rst.fields.Count
            ApXL.ActiveCell = rst.fields(intCount).Name
            ApXL.ActiveCell.Offset(0, 1).Select
            intCount = intCount + 1
        Loop

        rst.MoveFirst
        
        xlWSh.Range("A2").CopyFromRecordset rst

        With ApXL
            .Range("A1").Select
            .Range(.Selection, .Selection.End(xlToRight)).Select
            .Selection.Interior.Pattern = xlSolid
            .Selection.Interior.PatternColorIndex = xlAutomatic
            .Selection.Interior.TintAndShade = -0.25
            .Selection.Interior.PatternTintAndShade = 0
            .Selection.Borders.LineStyle = xlNone
            .Selection.AutoFilter
            .Cells.EntireColumn.AutoFit
            .Cells.EntireRow.AutoFit
            .Range("B2").Select
            .ActiveWindow.FreezePanes = True
            .ActiveSheet.Cells.Select
            .ActiveSheet.Cells.WrapText = False
            .ActiveSheet.Cells.EntireColumn.AutoFit
            xlWSh.Range("A1").Select
            .Visible = True
        End With

retry:
        If FileExists(strFileName) Then
            Kill strFileName
        End If
        If strFileName <> "" Then
            xlWBk.SaveAs strFileName, FileFormat:=56
        End If
        
        rst.Close
        Set rst = Nothing
        DoCmd.Hourglass False
    End If

ExportToExcel_Exit:
    DoCmd.Hourglass False
    Exit Function

ExportToExcel_Err:
    DoCmd.SetWarnings True
    MsgBox Err.Description, vbExclamation, Err.Number
    DoCmd.Hourglass False
    Resume ExportToExcel_Exit

End Function

The function can be called like this:

Private Sub ExportToExcel_Example()
 Call VBA_Access_ImportExport.ExportToExcel("Table", "Table1", "VBASheet")
End Sub
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