For John, et al. Re Combining Columns (previous post)

[Bob]

Hi,

Using Excel 2007

Have a spreadsheet that I copied from elsewhere, that I want to modify a
bit.

In one column are GMT times expressed as 4 digits.
e.g., 0000, 2130, etc.

I want to combine (as in my previous post) these times with another column.
No problem, as John's suggestion works fine.
But:

I can't get it to accept the 4 digits of: 0000

It keeps changing them to just a single digit: 0

I tried formatting the column as text, general, and a number, but the
same thing.

Any thoughts why it changes ?

How do I get it to accept, keep, and work with, all four zeros ?
(I thought that defining the whole column as text would do it, but
apparently not)

Thanks,
Bob

 

[John]

HI Bob
Not sure if that will work but try it =TEXT(A1,"0000")
HTH
John

 

[Don Guillett]

You should stay in your original post. perhaps
=a1&text(b1,whateverformatdesired)

 

[BSc Chem Eng Rick]

Bob,
Try and put an apostrophe before the leading zero (i.e. in the cell '0000).
This forces text and stops excel automatically trying to determine formats.

 

[Brad]

Another solution
Format cells as Number Custom 0000

That is Four zero's - that will force the 0 to show up as 0000 - it will
also force 123 to be 0123.