I'm using Excel 2000. If I type a number in a cell, and the first
number is a zero, Excel automatically removes it. Thus 085998 becomes
85998. How do I prevent Excel from doing this?

Pre-format as text or use ' before

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Don Guillett
SalesAid Software
(E-Mail Removed)
"History Fan" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:%(E-Mail Removed)...
> I'm using Excel 2000. If I type a number in a cell, and the first
> number is a zero, Excel automatically removes it. Thus 085998 becomes
> 85998. How do I prevent Excel from doing this?
>

One way is to enter it as text, eg either precede the entry with an
apostrophe, or preformat the entire col as TEXT.

If you wish to preserve it as numbers,
preformat the col as Custom, Type: 000000
--
Max
Singapore
http://savefile.com/projects/236895
xdemechanik
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"History Fan" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:%(E-Mail Removed)...
> I'm using Excel 2000. If I type a number in a cell, and the first
> number is a zero, Excel automatically removes it. Thus 085998 becomes
> 85998. How do I prevent Excel from doing this?
>

Thanks. Adding the apostrophe worked.

welcome. glad it worked out for you.
--
Max
Singapore
http://savefile.com/projects/236895
xdemechanik
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"History Fan" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Thanks. Adding the apostrophe worked.

Max wrote:
> One way is to enter it as text, eg either precede the entry with an
> apostrophe, or preformat the entire col as TEXT.
>
> If you wish to preserve it as numbers,
> preformat the col as Custom, Type: 000000

What a top tip!