I have been doing the same thing for any text file I want to create, from Components to TechAreas. All you really need to do is make an excel sheet with a header row for each of the catagories you are going to want in the final merge (a hint that will save time and repetition - if you have a row that is going to be the same all the way through, such as "Custom Group := 0", then you can put that in the Merge file rather than a column). After you setup your Excel file, go into word and copy out a sample component and the clear out the variables you want to change (eg - Name := PDF Cannon I - Erase the "PDF Cannon I, but leave the space after the := ), also be sure to hit enter at the end to give you a space in between components! Then you go to Tools and choose MailMerge and pick Catalog for the merge (this will create a stream of components/techs/etc. rather than one per page). Then you can either save it as a text file or (what I do) copy it and paste it into the correct data text file in metapad or notepad.
By using the merge option, I have been able to create over 2000 weapons in the B5 test mod where the only real trouble was creating the data on the spreadsheet for the merge!
If you want to get fancy, you can even create VB scripts and excel formulas that will increase/decrease the techs by preset percentages
