"#-#" is converting to date

[DDT123]

Greetings, I have a spreadsheet which has a threshold column showing the number of days a claim has been open. The format is as follows:
<7
7-15
16-30
31-45
>46

When I export the report, the cells which have "7-15" is converting to a date (July 15). Is there a way to force it to show "7-15" without having to use helper cells?

 

[MARK858]

Format the cells as Text before entering the data in the destination file

 

[Joe4]

Format the column as Text first, and then make your entries.
How then you are exporting it?
What format are you exporting to?
And then how are you viewing the exported file?