EXPORTING EXCEL FILES

I am setting up a catalogue for someone who has given me their price/product
info. setup in EXCEL tables. They want to be able to make the necessary
updates to their EXCEL tables and then send to me for updating future
catalogues. I have tried to import into both Corel Draw and Word with no
success, either the info. is non-editable once imported or it is converted
into a mess. Can EXCEL files be imported/exported at all into any other
layout programs while still maintaining the columns/tables set up in the
original? I'd appreciate your help, thanks!