Using excel data for mailing labels--dropped zero from zip codes starting 0

[Kathryn]

We are using Word 2003. We are trying to create mailing
labels using an excel spread sheet for the data source
and following the instructions of the wizard. Our
problem is that the zip codes that start with a zero
dropped the zero in the merge. For example, zip
code "02145" listed in the excel doc and formatted
for "special-zip code" turned into "2145" in the merged
labels in Word.

Any suggestions on how to fix this or get around it? I'm
more familiar with doing this in Word 2000.

Many thanks,

Kathryn~

 

[Greg Maxey]

Kathryn,

Just a stab, because I don't have Word2003 to test with. See the Excel Data
section of:
http://www.gmayor.dsl.pipex.com/mail_merge_labels_with_word_xp.htm

 

[Ted Palmer]

My problem was exactly what you had and then some.

Not only did leading 0s get truncated but, I was getting
alot of "0" zip codes when I knew for a fact that the
zipcode was in the Excel file and was correct. This is
what I found: If the number was longer than 5 digits,
i.e. 44060-4887, or contained any non-numeric value,i.e.
J2C 2Z5 or OL25JX, it was converted to a Zero.

The link you provided solved the problem. Which was the
default way that Word converts and imports the Excel data
in Word2002.

Thanks

Ted

 

[Ted Palmer]

My Apologies - The link was provided by Greg. Non-the-
less, my problem has been fixed. No thanks to micorsoft
for their help on the matter other than this Newsgroup
site.