Well, as the other follow-up comments, sometimes one doesn't have the choice
of what input format to use and I was trying to figure out how the OP could
solve his problem under those constraints.

Sometimes ideal solutions are just not available in the real world.

Can you illustrate the idea of the template for the ignorant? :)

Sure! (Though I don't consider you to be ignorant! You seem to be quite
knowledgeable despite some unfamiliarity working in Excel after being so
entrenched in MatLab)

My solutions, as you know from our collaboration project, are primarily *task
oriented* to service repetative processing of data on a regular or period-based
schedule. In cases where raw data is imported to a spreadsheet I'll pre-design
a template to receive that data in its _expected_ format so it displays in the
user's _desired_ format. After all, output data from most apps is usually just
plain text. (CSV/TSV or the like)

Designing worksheets to receive raw or formatted data correctly is a critical
part of my job as an Excel developer. Automating the solution is also another
critical part of the job so it enhances user productivity in a consistent
reliable manner.

Sometimes the data is stored in Excel files which may or may not have
formatting, and sometimes the data is stored in a dbase (also with data type
formatting). In both these cases I'd use ADODB to load the data into
recordsets, then dump it into the worksheet which is already preformatted to
receive it. (ergo a pre-designed template)

--
Garry

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