is there any rules as to how the data will come in? is anything important to put names to aside from the grid reference?

could you make a table with enough colounms to take all the data in any situation, just named col1 - col30 or whatever + Grid reference fields, append deli as you do anyway and then test the fields until you find the format of the reference data, replace the named fields with the values in these and then run your program?

it's how I do address sorting routines, add standard fields adr1 - adr9, find address type data in the other fields, copy and then run the program that sorts on fields adr1 - 9

If I'm off in the wrong direction completely I apologise but I've got a really bad tooth awaiting some major knee on chest dentistry, meaning I'm taking painkillers that distort my view of reality just a tad. I pity the fool who comes to ammend my code from this week.