Excel export CSV - chngs text to numbers

  • Thread starter Thread starter Tina
  • Start date Start date
T

Tina

I have an excel file, the item column contains letters and
numbers and sometimes all numbers. Some even have a
preceeding zero (ex. 05r32, 562 or 0563). The data type of
the column is text. When I export this sheet as a csv
file, then reopen the csv in excel, it drops the
preceeding zero of my third example. My item number is
then invalid. If I open it in notepad it is fine. How do
I keep it as text within Excel?

I am having the same problem with Access. It looks fine
in Access and is coded as text, I export to Excel, and
Excel reads everything as a number.
 
When Excel opens CSV files it processes them automatically. Numerical items
are treated just as when you enter them manually, leading zeros are dropped.
You might call these CSV rules, rules that are imposed on you if you use the
CSV file extension.

So you should use another extension, like TXT. Then Excel pops up the Text
Import Wizard where you have designate the format of each field.
 
Okay that explains the Excel to CSV problem. Thank you.
But what about Access to Excel? Does Excel have the same
set of rules and can you change these rules?
 
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