Tool to merge duplicate rows with slightly different data in some fields?

I have a number of spreadsheets, each with between 1000-6000 rows (each row
is a property) and they all need to be combined into a single database. Each
spreadsheet contains slightly different information and 80% of the
properties in spreadsheet_01 also appear spreadsheet_02. Spreadsheet_03
contains slightly different information again and perhaps has 60% of
properties in this one also appear in other spreadsheets. The problem is not
straightforward as data such as an address in Spreadsheet_01 may be written
slightly different to Spreadsheet_02.

My initial thought is to make all the spreadsheets the same structure (which
will be then be the database schema), cut and paste to create one large
table and then find some tool that will find possible duplicate rows and
merge the data into one.

Does such a tool exist? I could even set ODBC connection if I need to use a
non-Access database to sort this mess out.

Any advice would be gratefully received.

Cheers

Phil

Re: Tool to merge duplicate rows with slightly different data in some fields?

"Phil Latio" wrote in message
news:xBM5j.11579$Bk7.10659@fe01.news.easynews.com...
>I have a number of spreadsheets, each with between 1000-6000 rows (each row
>is a property) and they all need to be combined into a single database.
>Each spreadsheet contains slightly different information and 80% of the
>properties in spreadsheet_01 also appear spreadsheet_02. Spreadsheet_03
>contains slightly different information again and perhaps has 60% of
>properties in this one also appear in other spreadsheets. The problem is
>not straightforward as data such as an address in Spreadsheet_01 may be
>written slightly different to Spreadsheet_02.
>
> My initial thought is to make all the spreadsheets the same structure
> (which will be then be the database schema), cut and paste to create one
> large table and then find some tool that will find possible duplicate rows
> and merge the data into one.
>
> Does such a tool exist? I could even set ODBC connection if I need to use
> a non-Access database to sort this mess out.
>
> Any advice would be gratefully received.
>
> Cheers
>
> Phil

Don't worry, I've found the "dupicates query wizard". Might take some
fiddling but looks like it should get me 90% and I can handle a bit of
manual editing.

Cheers

Phil