Ducati Sporting Club UK > Model Specific - Discussion, Technical Problems and Help > General Motorcycles only > Microsoft Excel help needed

[Paul James]

Not Ducati related but I'm trying to put a number into an Excel database with a "leading zero" I can do this as text but then cant use a numeric function on it. I'm trying to show 03050601 which is a date code with up 01 to 99 additional identifiers. I want to type in 03050601 into a cell then beneath that cell put =thatcell+1 then copy that down the list adding one at a time to the sequence.

Trouble is that if I select "number" as the format the leading zero dissapears when the number is typed in.

I'm sure I've done this successfully before but can't remember how.

HEEELLLPPPP !!

[Wylie1]

Put a ' before the zero to display the leading zero, then hover over the lower RH corner of the cell click & drag down with the LH mouse button for sequential numbers in the cells below

[Edited on 10-5-2006 by Wylie1]

[Paul James]

Originally posted by Wylie1
Put a ' before the zero

That seems to work for the individual cell but then if I put the equation in the cell beneath the zero dissapears again.

Thanks for the reply Wylie

[Wylie1]

Oops, sorry... I was editing my reply after reading the rest of your post! See above

[antonye]

Right-Click the cell then pick "Custom" from the Category for the cell format.

In there it should automatically pick the format of "00000000" but you can type it in if needed.

In formatting, 0 is a forced digit (inc. leading zeros) and # is an optional number, so wouldn't include leading zeros.

Eg:

01234 as 00000 = 01234
01234 as ##### = 1234

[Paul James]

Still seems to lose the leading zero ;-(((

[andyb]

God it must be exciting at work...................

[antonye]

You may need to set the cell formatting on the range once you've copied the formulas over. Excel can be funny like this sometimes as it constantly tries to do a "best guess" about the formatting of a cell when the contents change. It's a right pita for us developers!

[antonye]

Originally posted by andyb
God it must be exciting at work...................

Haven't you got some paperwork to fill out?

[Paul James]

Originally posted by antonye
Right-Click the cell then pick "Custom" from the Category for the cell format.

In there it should automatically pick the format of "00000000" but you can type it in if needed.

In formatting, 0 is a forced digit (inc. leading zeros) and # is an optional number, so wouldn't include leading zeros.

Eg:

01234 as 00000 = 01234
01234 as ##### = 1234

Yeeehaaaa, that works just fine. Many thanks guys, great info and very quick as usual. Almost tempted to chuck my slide rule and four figure tables away now