gistfile1.ps1

function parseExcel{
    param(
        [string] $strFileName = $(throw "Please specify an excel file to parse."), 
        [string] $strSheetName = 'Sheet1$',
        [string] $callListId = $(throw "Please specify a callListId.")
    )
   $strProvider = "Provider=Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0"
    $strDataSource = "Data Source = $strFileName"
    $strExtend = "Extended Properties=Excel 8.0"
    $strQuery = "Select * from [$strSheetName]"

    $objConn = New-Object System.Data.OleDb.OleDbConnection("$strProvider;$strDataSource;$strExtend")
    $sqlCommand = New-Object System.Data.OleDb.OleDbCommand($strQuery)
    $sqlCommand.Connection = $objConn
    $objConn.open()
    $DataReader = $sqlCommand.ExecuteReader()
    $count = 0
    if($DataReader.HasRows)
    {
        $DataReader.read() #Dump header row
        While($DataReader.read())
        {
         $emplid = $DataReader[0].Tostring() 
         $desc = $DataReader[2].ToString()
         # Do Something
         $count++
        }
    }  
    $dataReader.close()
    $objConn.close()
}

parseExcel -strFileName "some-file.xls" -callListId "18"