In Excel I type 24E1 in a cell it changes ...

[Ann B]

even when I put the formatting as General. No matter what it keeps going
back to Scientific format afterwards. Help? This is a branch code I need in
this spreadsheet for import into a HRIS system.

 

[Mike H]

Ann

Type an apostrophe ' and then the branch code 24E1 and all should be OK.

Mike

 

[AnotherNewGuy]

Either format the cell as text, or precede the 24E1 with an apostrophe.

 

[Kevin B]

Either format the cells before hand as TEXT format, or when entering any
thing that can be construed as a number, use an apostrophe as a prefix to
your entry to make it text.

Hope this helps...

 

[T. Valko]

Precede the entry with an apostrophe or pre-format the cell as TEXT.

 

[Ann B]

Thank you both for your helpful answers. Why was it doing that? I always
like to know the reasons behind things just in case I come across it again in
a different but similar situation? What in the Scientific functions would
that be interpeting?

 

[Kevin B]

Your entry of 24E1 was treated as a number entered in scientific notation.
Hence the value transformation when it was not entered a label or entered
into a cell formatted as text.