I have a similar problem. I collect data from many sources in the form of an MS Word table. I then copy the tables received from each source onto the clipboard and start an Excel macro that pastes the entire table into a spreadsheet. Other sheets in the Workbook then analyze the data and build scripts for posting the data to a database. Feedback is then sent to the source for confirming the data received. But if they have typed "February 1979" as an answer into a cell in the Word table, what gets stored in Excel is "01-02-1979". And if they have typed "2/79" into the cell, Excel stores it also as "01-02-1979". So there is no way that I know of by which I can automatically send back to the source exactly what they have typed. I can either choose a particular output format and everyone gets it back in that format, or for each form received I have to painstakingly retype the data into the Excel sheet with a single quote mark in front.

Suggestions welcome.


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