Removing character in a string

[MikeL]

When importing an excel file the character " ' " appears in front of a zip
code;

'85004 this hinders the vlookup formula. How can I remove this character en
mass?

 

[BCDS]

Select the column of cells
CTRL+H
Replace: '
With:

Click REPLACE ALL button

 

[Dave Peterson]

Maybe you could modify your =vlookup()

If the value you're matching on has to be text and is currently a number:
=vlookup(""&x99,sheet2!a:b,2,false)
or
=vlookup(text(x99,"00000"),sheet2!a:b,2,false)

""&x99 will convert the number value in x99 to text.
=text(x99,"0000") will keep the leading 0's