Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Excel 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Excel, click here: Importing Many Files Into Excel.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated January 25, 2025)
This tip applies to Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003
Andrew asked if there is a way to import many different files into Excel, all using the same import specifications. For instance, when you choose to import a comma-delimited text file, Excel's import filter asks you a series of questions about how the import should be done. If you are importing a single file, this is not a problem. If you have fifty or sixty files to import, answering the questions over and over again can get very tedious very quickly.
The short answer is that there is no way to do a "mass import" in Excel. Some questions asked by the import filter simply need to be asked for each file. The only way around this is to create your own "import" process using a macro. The macro can either open the source file itself, or it can answer the Import Wizard questions, as it sees fit.
Of course, writing such a macro can be a daunting exercise. It is beyond the scope of ExcelTips to attempt such a macro, particularly since the process to be followed during the import can vary so much from one type of input file to another.
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (2225) applies to Microsoft Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. You can find a version of this tip for the ribbon interface of Excel (Excel 2007 and later) here: Importing Many Files Into Excel.
Best-Selling VBA Tutorial for Beginners Take your Excel knowledge to the next level. With a little background in VBA programming, you can go well beyond basic spreadsheets and functions. Use macros to reduce errors, save time, and integrate with other Microsoft applications. Fully updated for the latest version of Office 365. Check out Microsoft 365 Excel VBA Programming For Dummies today!
If you don't like the way that Excel exports information you intend to use with other programs, then your best bet is to ...
Discover MoreWhen you save a workbook to disk, you may want to automatically save a duplicate workbook in a separate location. This ...
Discover MoreIf you try to open a second workbook and you see an error message, it could be because of the way you are opening the ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
2025-01-25 04:54:34
Ralph
The way I import multiple csv files is to use a Windows command to copy all the files with a common name and wildcards to one file, then import the combined file, e.g. copy "D:\Internet Usage Backup\*BitMeter Usage Daily.csv" "D:\Internet Usage Backup\%year%%month%%day%_Daily Usage Combined.csv"
Got a version of Excel that uses the menu interface (Excel 97, Excel 2000, Excel 2002, or Excel 2003)? This site is for you! If you use a later version of Excel, visit our ExcelTips site focusing on the ribbon interface.
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2026 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Excel 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Excel, click here:
Comments