Change text into relative numbers

[fretwizard]

So I get this spreadsheet, and it's a master schedule for this fiscal year. Throughout about 12 columns with 150 rows, there are more than 500 employees scattered here and there listed by last name. I need to take this schedule and import it into my access database, however I need to change all these employee names into the employee ID#s instead, and I am thinking that there may be a faster way to do so in excel before I import it.

The text to columns is just there because these names are grouped together in cells (about 15 names to one cells) down the column, and so I used text to columns to break them out.

can anyone please help me with this? the database way i can do it is very, very, very tedious!

formulas, methods, whatever...i am just in real need of a solution!

thanks!

[fretwizard]

helps if you actually help the afore mentioned attachment!