如何将excel文件链接到sql server 2008r2管理工作室

we have recently adopted to sql server 2008r2 from access. We are completely new to it. We need to work on data which comes in excel spreadsheets. In access we directly link the data to it and run the queries. This similar approach is available in sql server also? If not how to link the excel files into sql server? what is sql server compact?we have recently adopted to sql server 2008r2 f