Merging MS Excel Tables and Charts into ArcView

Advantages / Limitations:

	Technical staff can be quickly taught how to enter and manipulate data using spreadsheet programmes. Statistical data can be easily entered and manipulated using statistical formulas in the spreadsheet programme. Files can be exported (e.g. in DBF format) or embedded into the GIS. Spreadsheet programmes such as Excel are available in many different (local) languages. High quality charts can be generated in order to visualise the statistical data.
	Attribute data has to be stored separately on the computer and the links to the spatial data (i.e. maps) has to be re-established each time the data is physically moved to another computer. The combination possibilities of datasets from various tables is limited The number of datasets per sheet is limited (e.g. in Excel the limit is to 65.536 records). Statistical formulas used in the table have to be repeatedly copied throughout the whole table. The ability to sort the datasets is limited to only 3 columns of data. The filtering function of the datasets is limited. Data integrity can not be guaranteed and has to be monitored manually.