Switched from excel to Infopath, now need to import old data

[shutterfly]

Is there any way to importing excel data into a forms library? I need to
have my groups legacy project data tracked in the same forms library that I
created a new form in infopath for.

I have 600 projects (a 600 line excel spreadsheet) that needs importing to
my new Infopath / sp system and want to avoid having an admin enter each one
in by hand.
Please tell me there is a way... For some reason I though it would be as
easy as copy and past when in "show in spreadsheet view" but a forms lib
doesn't allow new entries that way.

 

[Steve]

Data import into InfoPath is done by third-party Data Converters. Microsoft
does not actually sell these, but there are some available. This pobably
won't be cheap, but may be the only way to do this short of writing your
own.

Here's an excerpt from the Office Help System:

Available Converters
FormBridge from Texcel Systems converts forms and documents from PDF,
Microsoft Word, QuarkXPress, JetForm, FormFlow and almost any other source
into InfoPath forms. It accurately preserves the appearance of the original
forms in InfoPath for both online data capture and print. FormBridge
automatically creates fields in the forms. It saves time and labor, reduces
errors, and is easy to use. FormBridge is a professional productivity tool
and has been used for large conversions, some with thousands of pages.
http://office.microsoft.com/search/redir.aspx?AssetID=XT100775911033&CTT=5&Origin=EY011601261033

Office MarketPlace
http://office.microsoft.com/search/redir.aspx?AssetID=ES790000601033&CTT=5&Origin=EY011601261033

Alternately, you could possibly write your own or hire someone to do it.
What you are talking about is exporting and merging the Excel data with an
XML representation of the form. Not trival, but certainly doable.

HTH