EXCEL .XLS FILES

[Dent Cermak]

I can export data using the report formatter all day long to Excel and create .xls files.
Now the question is, how do I reverse the process??
If someone sends me a data table in an .xls file how do I import that file into my Carlson 2010 w/ embedded Autocad? (Used to do it with the "_pastespec" command, but that appears to now be gone.)
Is there away to open the report formatter abd have it import a .xls file into my drawing? If so, how?

[SurvTech31]

Are you talking about point data? I have always saved Excel (.xls) files into .csv files and then imported them using the import text file command. Not sure if that's what you are looking for or not, but it's an option.

[Dent Cermak]

It's more like table data listing monumentation in detail with reference data, etc. Straight Excel data file. I have no problem with coordinate files, but an Excel table or chart data eludes me.
You used to be able to set up a table and then bring in the Excel data via "_pastespec" and put it all together. That no longer seems to work. I have tried copying to the clipboard and then pasting it into my drawings, but I lose all table formatting.
The guy making the tables can do it in Excel, but seems at a loss when I try to show him how to build his tables in Carlson. He has both software packages, but just seems Excel oriented. To me, it is much more difficult to do in Excel, but he does what he knows. Tried to explain to him that if we cannot get that data into the .dwg file, all of his efforts are wasted time.