I answer to this part of your question:

> if someone comes up with a scripted excel alternative, I'm all ears.

[AutoIt](http://www.autoitscript.com/site/autoit/) is a script language which allow you to automate the Windows's user interface, and then to by-pass your security restriction.

To cover your needs AutoIt provides basic file access function (like you did it in Python I think) to read your **.txt** files' content. Then with its Windows gui's automation you can write the content into your Excell file (I recommend to use key trigger instead of mouse one's) like a human would do it.

It's a programming script language, so it´s very powerful, but it could be complicated for an uninitiated public, but you seem to be confortable with programmation. Actually a *macro recorder is provided*, very useful for learning it.

AutoIt is well known for the large amount of game bots created with it. Personnaly I used it for automating text copy/paste and sending it throught the network.