Numeric Field Overflow when importing or linking Excel to Access

When linking or importing from Excel into Access, the first few rows of a column are used to determine the Access column data type. Often times, this assumption causes a Numeric Overflow Error.

Example, the first 10 rows of the field "Project ID" contain only numbers. The remaining rows contain a mix of numbers and letters. Access will assume that the field is numeric and will error out as soon as it tries to import the first set of alphanumeric records.

One solution, in Excel, precede the "Project ID" field with an apostrophe: '
For an automated Excel VBA solution, see this post: Numeric Field Overflow error when linking Access to Excel

Another solution, sort the Excel file so that the alphanumeric records are in the first rows.