Why did DoCmd.TransferSpreadsheet acImport stop working intermittently?

Question

After MS Office updates in October, DoCmd.TransferSpreadsheet acImport sort of stopped working for one of my 7 files. If I import that file first it works fine, but then I have to close the database and then reopen it to get the other 6 files to import. The DoCmd.TransferSpreadsheet acImport worked for years without issue, but then the updates hit and now it's just a pain. When is Microsoft going to fix this?

Answer 1

Adding a 4 second pause at the beginning of the loop and between saving the file and moving it to the Imported folder, seems to have fixed the issue.

Answer 2

Hi,

If I import that file first it works fine, but then I have to close the database and then reopen it to get the other 6 files to import.

1. What happens after the first import? If you get an error message, then what number and wording?
2. Is this a loop that tries all imports one after the other, or is there a pause and a button for each import?
3. What is your version and build number of Office/Access that you see on the right side of the File - Account page? You could roll-back to an older build to see until which update/build it works.

Servus
Karl

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Answer 3

Hi Kristy Board

Thank you for reaching out to Microsoft Q&A Forum and sharing your experience.

I understand how frustrating it is when a process that has worked reliably for years starts behaving inconsistently after an update.

At this time, Microsoft has not published a known issue or confirmed regression specific to DoCmd.TransferSpreadsheet (acImport) that explains intermittent failures following recent Microsoft 365 updates. Microsoft also does not provide timelines for fixes unless an issue has been formally acknowledged, so I'm unable to confirm when or if this behavior may be addressed as moderators don't have access to internal engineering resources or the ability to provide solutions from a product development perspective.

Since the behavior clears only after closing and reopening Access, it may be related to how the import session is releasing resources between repeated TransferSpreadsheet calls. As a quick check, after the first import runs, open Task Manager and confirm whether any Excel‑related process remains running in the background, even though no workbooks are open. Before running the imports, also ensure that all Excel source files are fully closed, and consider separating imports into distinct procedures to reduce the chance of retained state between repeated runs. If the issue reproduces only when a specific workbook is involved, try opening that file and saving it as a new .xlsx (or .xlsb) file to rule out workbook‑structure differences that may affect how Access processes it.

If you need a more stable workaround, the TransferSpreadsheet method also supports acLink, which allows you to link an Excel workbook as a table in Access. One commonly used approach is to link the workbook as a temporary table, run an Append query to copy the data into your destination table, and then remove the linked table afterward. Linking uses a different mechanism than importing and can be more reliable when repeated imports show inconsistent behavior across Microsoft 365 builds.

For your reference:

• DoCmd.TransferSpreadsheet method (Access) | Microsoft Learn
• Manage linked tables - Microsoft Support

Please note that this is a user-to-user support forum. Moderators, contributors including external Microsoft employees cannot directly intervene in Microsoft product features or access back-end systems. Our role is limited to providing technical guidance on reported issues, requests, or ideas.

Given these limitations, the most appropriate avenue for product changes or feature requests is to submit feedback through the official Microsoft feedback channel: Open Access > Go to File > Feedback > Report a Problem.

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