Excel 2007 not retaining formatting in mail merge operation

[Susan]

I am trying to do merge document with excel and word 2007 and the zip codes
drop the first zero, 01234 becomes 1234. I have tried formatting the cells
with ALL the choices to no avail. Please help!!!

 

[David Biddulph]

You could use a helper column with =TEXT(A1,"00000"), or otherwise there is
a process shown at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/320473.

 

[Susan]

Thank you for the link but unfortunately it doesn't work for Excel 2007 ...
how do you use the helper column =TEXT(A1,"00000") .... would I need to
insert that for each entry? There are over 7000!

Susan

 

[Peo Sjoblom]

You can copy down the formula, you only have to type it once, if you insert
the help column adjacent to the original column you can type it in the first
adjacent cell, press enter, then select that cell again, move the cursor to
the lower right corner of that cell and when the thick cross changes to a
thin double click and the formula will be automatically copied down as long
as there are entries in the original column. Then while still selected copy
all entries and paste special as values in place. Then after making sure it
came out right delete the original column and now the help column will take
it's place and keep the leading zeroes.


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Regards,

Peo Sjoblom