This is an example I used to answer a similar question some time ago. First, you have to add the reference for Microsoft Excel 8.0 library to your project.

Option Explicit

Private Sub Command1_Click()

Dim xlApp As Excel.Application
Set xlApp = CreateObject("Excel.Application")

Dim xlWS As Excel.Worksheet
Dim sNames() As String

xlApp.Workbooks.Open "Path and Filename"
Set xlWS = xlApp.ActiveWorkbook.Worksheets.Item(index or name)
sNames = xlWS.Cells(row, column)
' Other processing here
xlApp.Workbooks.Close
xlApp.Quit
Set xlWS = Nothing
Set xlApp = Nothing

End Sub