Best method to integrate excel-like tables?

[goltoof]

I've really struggled with inserting simple excel tables into drawings. 

Typically I'll Insert > Object > Microsoft Excel Worksheet

This seems like the most braindead simple way to do it but I just keep running into so many problems with the spreadsheets themselves.

Excel is very unpredicatable, sometimes it behaves, other times the text and table becomes completely distorted and can't be repaired.

How do you go about inserting tables into drawings that can be formatted and edited easily and reliably?