trying to add an EXCEL table to create point database

• Adding an EXCEL table to a map converts a numeric field (I.E. LAT/LONG) to a string. ESRI “HELP” - states “Numeric fields are converted to the double data type in ArcGIS.” This is not true. DBFs do the same thing although they used to work. So in the meantime, how does one use an EXCEL file in ArcGIS and maintain the field types/??!!
thanks,
pete