Workaround for numbers as text

[stroffso]

Hi,

We export data into a workbook, all of the product codes are 4 digits but they are in text format. When i go to do lookups they dont work unless I paste the product codes into notepad and then back into word again.

So 2 questions here I suppose:
1. Is there an easier way to do this rather then copying into notepad and then back out again (Changing the format of the text within Excel doesnt work)
2. If the answer to Q1 is no is there some code I could use to easily do it, simply copying Column A into Notepad and then back to column A again?

thanks

 

[Rick Rothstein]

We export data into a workbook, all of the product codes are 4 digits but they are in text format. When i go to do lookups they dont work unless I paste the product codes into notepad and then back into word again.

So 2 questions here I suppose:
1. Is there an easier way to do this rather then copying into notepad and then back out again (Changing the format of the text within Excel doesnt work)

Try this... select the column with your text numbers in them, call up the "Text To Columns" dialog box ("Data" tab, "Data Tools" panel, "Text to Columns" button) and as soon as the dialog box appears, click the "Finish" button.

 

[stroffso]

Try this... select the column with your text numbers in them, call up the "Text To Columns" dialog box ("Data" tab, "Data Tools" panel, "Text to Columns" button) and as soon as the dialog box appears, click the "Finish" button.

that worked an absolute charm, thanks so much