Custom Format on cell to give - versus 0

[dkdmre]

I use an OLAP reporting tool that pulls numbers into a spreadsheet via an Excel add-in. I have a report where I want numbers that return as a zero to show as a dash - so I use this custom format that is standard in Excel
_(* #,##0_);_(* (#,##0);_(* "-"??_);_(@_)

However sometime the zero data from the add in stays as a zero even when I paste this formatting onto the cell. It looks wierd to see some zeros and some -. Excel must be interpreting this zero differently. How can I adjust the custom formatting to compensate for this.

 

[Juan Pablo González]

If it shows a 0, then Excel is treating those as text, not as a real number. If you format those cells as general, do they appear left or right aligned ?

 

[dkdmre]

If I change the ones that is staying as a zero to general it alligns to the right.

 

[Juan Pablo González]

And do you see 0 in the status bar ? or something else ?

 

[dkdmre]

I see a zero