We have an existing process where users can edit a series of very long text
strings that include hard returns in Excel, which are then re-imported to
another application. The strings contain a detailed narrative that is up to
10k characters (so far).

Understandably, the users would like to be able to do the editing in Word
tables instead of in Excel. However, although I can copy and paste from Excel
into Word, and create a table that includes all the hard returns within
cells, when I copy and paste back from Word to Excel, all the Hard returns
get converted into cell divisions, which will be impossible to re-import. I
can't import directly from Word, as the application in question doesn't have
that ability.

I know that I can paste individual table cells into the editing line, and
this will preserve the Hard returns, but there are up to a thousand such
cells, so I need to be able to do it in one go.

Grateful for any suggestions,
Geoff.