That's the challenge I'm facing.

We have 540 customer records, each it's own Excel file, with 40+ fields

The data is standard - contact name, details, when they were signed up, discounts etc.

However the template used to create these files was laid out as a "paper record" for printing, not as a data file. So it is not a data file which can be manipulated, and there are issues such as:
* merged cells, some containing multiple data - eg address and postcode in the same field when we need them separate

* inconsistent cell locations for fields - eg if there is a 3-line address it may start a row above the standard location, since that "makes it look better" on the printout

* merged cells containing strings of dots [!!!!] to indicate "put information here" - and so in come cases there are "leftover" dots in fields which contain data

Ultimately this needs to be a nice clean CSV file to pour into a new database - not being built using Microsoft tools.

Any and all suggestions welcome - strategy / tools / or even offers to do the whole thing at a price.

Hope to hear from many of you soon

Ken