I have an Excel spreadsheet that has 186 fields (columns). I need to make it into a FM database (i'm using 5.5v2), I have searched this forum and the manuals, but cannot find a definitive answer as to whether or not FM can automatically define fields on an import from an Excel spreadsheet based on the sheet's header row.

The closest thing I've found so far, is how to import a spreadsheet and have FM create field definitions F1, F2,.... etc, but that doesn't really solve my problem, because I'd still have to go in and rename the definitions anyway.

I hope this isn't a redundant topic that I'm bringing up. I did a search but couldn't find anything. Thanks for any help.

-Sean

Have you tried just opening it up with FIleMaker.

You should get a little box asking if the first row is field names, answer yes.

All fields will be text so you will have to modify the dates and do any calculations within FileMaker.

HTH

lee

Forgot to mention:

If I remember right, I think that it will shorten field names that are over a certain number of characters, sorry I don't remember that number.

filed names are cut off after 60 characters

fieldnames beginning with numbers, conflicting fiednames and those with some keywords are preceeded by an underscore( _ ) character. FileMaker tries to guess the field type /Text,num,date,time) based on first row of data.

Hi Christian,

Thanks for the additional information.

Hummmmm, I have never notice it gussing anything other than text. Now that I know that it should be doing this, I will pay more attention to the data to find out why it isn't doing it when it should.

Thanks again,

Lee