Excel-Format-Number-Number-Decimal Places 0-OK still formulating?

[Guest]

So I am in Excel on a new spread sheet and I enter a long account number. To
change it to a simple number, I go to Format then Cell on the Number tab I
click Number, I change Decmal Places to 0 then hit OK. One would think at
that point there would simply be the number I entered in that field. Oh no.
It couldn't be that simple. It changes the last number I type to a zero.
Why, who knows. Not one person in my office. What is with the damn
automaticities?

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[Nick Hodge]

Excel works to 15 digits and then turns the remainder to zero. As you have
pointed out, these are account numbers and therefore I suspect you do not
need to do any calculations on them.

Pre-format the cells to Text (Format>Cells...>Text) or enter the 'number'
with a leading apostrophe ('). It will not show, but signals to Excel the
'number' is in fact a text string.

Always been this way ;-)

--
HTH
Nick Hodge
Microsoft MVP - Excel
Southampton, England
www.nickhodge.co.uk
(e-mail address removed)