Format - Please Help!!

[Nikki]

I have two formats that come to me that I cannot vlookup due to the
formatting. Is there a quick fix for formatting these files as text?

For example, the format is 01001 but when I change it to a number it removes
the 0. I add a column to add back the 0 and the column is converted back to
text which will not allow my vlookup to work. I think it is due to the
extraction of from the database. Please help! I am driving myself nutts!!! I
also have tried copying the information into a new workbook and still that
same problem. Help.

 

[Eduardo]

Hi Nikki,
Highlight the column that have the 01001, go to Data, Text to Columns
Delimited, next, next, in this screen be sure you check Text in the left
upper corner, the default is General, in that way you will not loose the 0.

 

[Nikki]

I still lost the 0. Any other suggestions. This file is really a pain for me
today )....

 

[Teethless mama]

Custom Format > Format cell as: 00000

I still lost the 0. Any other suggestions. This file is really a pain for me
today )....

 

[Nikki]

Thank you so much.

Custom Format > Format cell as: 00000