Leading zeroes formatted as zip code...need to chg to text

[rcrecelius]

I have a file that has part numbers with leading zeroes formatted as special/zip code instead of text. When I try to format them as text the leading zeroes disappear. It seems that for example 00103 is actually only 103...the formatting is what puts the leading zeroes in. Not all PN's have the leading zeroes BTW.
This is preventing me from matching them up to my part numbers because when I pull my numbers from the database and import them into Excel I format them as text.
How can I convert these to text without screwing any of the other numbers up?

 

[gizmo1973]

Try custom "00000"
This should keep you leading zeroes where applicable
It may not work if you are doing vlookup etc as they need to be exacts if using FALSE etc

Regards, Phil.

M.U.F.C. Show your true support here:

http://shareholdersunited.org/join.php?ref=125059000

"Shares not Shirts

 

[rcrecelius]

Thats the problem, sorry if I wasnt clear in my post...I need to be able to do a vlookup against my part numbers which are formatted as text.

 

[gizmo1973]

Hmmm problem then as you should really have the two forammatted the same.
Can you not format both to custom as above?

Regards, Phil.

M.U.F.C. Show your true support here:

http://shareholdersunited.org/join.php?ref=125059000

"Shares not Shirts

 

[rcrecelius]

The problem with that is that my number legitimately has the leading zeroes whereas the other file doesnt.
My file
00024 is displayed as 00024 formatted as text

Their file
24 is displayed as 00024 formatted as special/zip code

Changing both to custom didnt help. However, since there were only 15-20 numbers with leading zeroes, I copied and pasted values only the offending column and then re-typed the "zero" numbers the way they were supposed to be after doing a "text to columns" and forcing that column to text.
Not exactly pretty but Im getting where I need to be...and I needed to be there in a hurry on this one!