Hi Andy,
A barcode scanner is essentially a keyboard.
so the answer is yes it can be used to enter data into Excel.

I don't think you're going to obtain stop watch accuracy from
direct entry even without the scanner, if you were to hit only
one key per event.
---
HTH,
David McRitchie, Microsoft MVP - Excel [site changed Nov. 2001]
My Excel Pages: http://www.mvps.org/dmcritchie/excel/excel.htm
Search Page: http://www.mvps.org/dmcritchie/excel/search.htm

"andym" wrote in message m...
hi,

can I use a barcode scanner with excel to enter in data?

Failing that is this possible in excel - have 300 items (people),
enter some of their numbers in a box at the same time e.g 5,99,24,56
this would then enter the current time into a field on each of their
rows?

Is this to much for excel or am I looking at access?

Basically we are having a 24hr bike race for charity, each team/person
would do a lap, so need start, stop and lap counter data.

thanks
andym