Importing Item Data from Excel, Program stops responding. HELP

is There is a big difference between importing list items, like Items or accounts, and importing transactions like invoices or checks. Experienced programmers may be unsuccessful until they try importing ONE record and see where they are having problems.

You always should start by trying to localize the problem. Create a virtually empty new test file. Try importing your one record. If you succeed, try several items, after making sure you do not import the same item again. Then import a record that is already there, but with a new spelling in the name or some other difference. Only after this should you try your entire Excel file with the new QuickBooks file. Only after that should you repeat these "baby steps" with your main QuickBooks file.  

It is quite likely there is something that QuickBooks considers data corruption in the Excel file. For example, a comma or quote, within an import field, often causes problems. You can transfer the data above and below a problem to a new file and try again, but skip a record between the problem and the remaining data you copy.

You can even go to htttp://marketplace.intuit.com/ for utilities to make this easier.