Barcode values importing with leading zeros

[aufantastic]

We are using a barcode system with the original manufacturer barcodes for each product. Some of these products have part numbers with letter, numbers or in this case, leading zeros. The leading zeros are a part of identifying a particular item. So, 01226 is not the same part as 001226. When we try to import the barcode data into Excel, Excel eliminates the leading zeros and thus we lose the barcode identity. Does anyone know any way within excel to keep barcodes with leading zeros to be as values but also to show with the leading zeros, whether there be 2, 3 or 7? Any workarounds anyone can suggest? We have tried entering these values into Excel with a leading apostrophe to keep the 0 value. However, the barcode cannot match to this because it considers the apostrophe to be a character as well ( example '01226). Please help.

 

[c_m_s_jr]

If you are bringing the data in and doing a text to columns? If so then in step 3 set the column with barcode from General to Text. This will hold any values as is.