Help with basic concept
 

OK, I've used spreadsheets before, and linked some data from outside sources,
but never tried this. Please help me think this thru-

I have a "form" the reps fill out. Actually it's an excel file. So, I'm
collecting fields of data (date, name, company, price, etc...). So, I now
have a collection of forms or files (B4=date, C6=name, D10=company, G5=price,
etc.). The name field, for example, might be the same on 25% of the files.
So, some data is repeated, some is unique.

I want to collect the data from all of these files (there are 225 files so
far) and make a single report.

And eventually this data will go into an Access database (or maybe it should
go in there straight away) - either way, I don't know how to do this.

Do the .xls files have to have a naming convention to open?
Or, can they just all be in a special directory (i.e. open/read all files in
this directory - whatever they are named)?

I need help thinking this process thru and really appreciate any guidance.
Don't assume too much - step by step would be great.
I'm using Office 2003.