Automatically switching to Scientific format

[Randy_D]

I receive reports that have a list of 5 digit, alpha-numeric part numbers like 123AB. For the most part, there is no problems until the report includes parts like the following. 88E03, 4E123, 66E12 etc.. Notice the pattern. All these part number have the "E" in the 2nd or 3rd placement. This results in Excel auto converting this Part number to a Scientific format which look like: 8.80E+04. Changing the format back to "General" or Text willl change it to 88000. Completely different then the original 88E03.
In some cases it actually keeps the "+" sign in the text.
Question: Is there any option or switch in Excel to prevent it from auto formatting to "Scientific". I'm using Office 2003.
I'd appreciate any help. Thanks.

 

[Alisa]

Are you pasting the data from somewhere else into excel?
If so, you can just format the entire excel sheet as text before you paste.

 

[Randy_D]

Thanks for the reply,

This is actually the reasult from a SQL query in *.CSV format. As soon as i import it into Excel it changes it to Scientific format.
I would think there is an option somewhere in Excel to prevent this.
This could be just a bug with no resolution.
Thanks,

 

[Randy_D]

Thanks for the reply,

This is actually the reasult from a SQL query in *.CSV format. As soon as i import it into Excel it changes it to Scientific format.
I would think there is an option somewhere in Excel to prevent this.
This could be just a bug with no resolution.
Thanks,