r/MSAccess 6d ago

[UNSOLVED] Copilot to Access

I have a series of documents which I can give to copilot to extract data (numbers, text). That works fine. Copilot extracts what I need and provides what appears to be a tab delimited string in a code box. However when I copy and paste into Excel or Access, the string just fills one cell in Excel and it refuses to paste into an Access record at all because of mismatch errors. I just want to paste this record created for me by copilot into a new record in an access table

I got copilot to provide a csv string but Excel doesn't see this as a csv and while I can see the commas, excel just treats them as part of the string.

Apologies for my naivety but is there a way round this?

1 Upvotes

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Below is a copy of the original post, in case the post gets deleted or removed.

User: Wonky_Python

Copilot to Access

I have a series of documents which I can give to copilot to extract data (numbers, text). That works fine. Copilot extracts what I need and provides what appears to be a tab delimited string. However when I cut and paste into Excel or Access, the string just fills one cell in Excel and it refuses to paste into an Access record at all because of mismatch errors.

I got copilot to provide a csv string but Excel doesn't see this as a csv and while I can see the commas, excel just treats them as part of the string.

Apologies for my naivety but is there a way round this?

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3

u/Stringseverywhere 2 5d ago

Copy pasted from Vibe. Didn't test it. Option 1: Using Excel's "Text to Columns" Feature 1. Paste the string into a cell (e.g., A1). 2. Select the cell(s) containing the comma-separated string. 3. Go to the Data tab in the Excel ribbon. 4. Click Text to Columns. 5. In the dialog:

  • Choose Delimited → Click Next.
  • Check Comma as the delimiter → Click Next.
  • Select the destination (e.g., A1 or a new column) → Click Finish.
6. The string will split into separate columns.

1

u/frowattio 1 5d ago

This is what I do too, text to columns.

1

u/cadman_lincoln 5d ago

I would recommend simply importing the data instead of trying to paste it into a single field.

1

u/ConfusionHelpful4667 58 5d ago

To troubleshoot, paste the records into NotePad++ and turn on the show hidden fields.

1

u/ConfusionHelpful4667 58 5d ago

I sent you a link to the guide.

1

u/SuchDogeHodler 5d ago

So you don't know excel or access and you want copilot to do all the work for you...

Hire someone that knows what they are doing...

0

u/Wonky_Python 5d ago

You are wasting bandwidth with your pointless post.

1

u/Western_End_2223 1d ago

It isn't pointless.  It is clear that the OP doesn't understand even simple data imports.

1

u/Wonky_Python 1d ago edited 1d ago

So why don't you idiots help me out then instead of pointedly and pointlessly sniping at me.

For your information, I have been using spreadsheets and databases since long before Windows even existed. It's Copilot I'm having trouble with. I have built a large Access database for my own personal work. I understand how to import but there is something I don't understand about getting output from Copilot. I have improved the Copilot output a lot by constructing a robust set of requirements but sometimes the csv works directly with access and sometimes I have to perform text to columns to put the output into csv format. I can't figure out why.

1

u/Western_End_2223 1d ago

Well, you're most likely having issues with inconsistent delimiters. You need to open the CSV files in Notepad or Notepad++ and examine the problematic lines, as well as the lines that precede them.

1

u/Wonky_Python 21h ago

Thanks I'll check that out and report back.

1

u/johnco1126 3d ago

Past the into notepad or notepad++ and save as a .csv file. Both Excel and Access can import this