Import / Update Data from Excel

[#1]

Is it not about time someone made the import of data from Excel into ACT! work in the way most users would expect it to work?

1. Import data directly from Excel files, any tab,  without having to convert to *.csv and without having to close the Excel file.

2. Import is tolerant of the usual hidden flotsam and jetsom in Excel such as carriage returns, line feeds and other hidden characters and just imports anyway.

3. Import is tolerant of blank lines in the data and just ignores them an imports the rest of the data.

4. Users can specifically update and replace data in any field they choose, whether it's blank or not.

5. Import to any table.

(Yes I know there are Add-ons, but the standard ACT! software needs to do more, much more!).

Jeff

[#2]

I'd also love the field mapping to allow me to map one of the Excel columns to a field I define right there and have the import create that field in ACT! before importing. 

[#3]

"have the import create that field in ACT! before importing"  ...if only....

It's probably a new post, but this would save sooooo much time. I had to create 30 Yes/No Fields in a database today and it took ages. Would it not have been better if I could have simply imported a list of field names and types from Excel.

Actually, taking it one stage further, it would also be nice if we could export the field names / definitions to Excel in the same format. This would make it easy to see how each field is set up (without resorting to ACTDiag), make any changes required then re-import the modified field definitions en-masse.

[#4]

Love the ideas above.