I have a group of 2,006 cells, each one containing a number that is anywhere from 3 to 6 digits in length. I need an easy way to convert each number to a 7 digit code by adding one or more zeroes to the front (change "376" to "0000376"). Ideas?
Back story (if you care about my pain):
A client gave us an Excel file to be used for a mailing containing a letter and an ID card. In the original file, they had a seven digit code for each of the 2006 names in the file. All of these codes were preceded by from 1-4 "0" characters so that they were all 7 digits long, most likely by setting up that column of cells as text fields. We exported the Excel file into our mailing program to do our de-dupe and pre-sort for postal discounting. This action retained the 7 digit code. However, we had to provide a 3rd party vendor with an Excel file that was sorted to match our mailing, since they were producing the ID cards which we wanted in sequence with our printed letter (the names on the letters and cards have to match up). Keeping them both in the same order is kind of crucial to efficiently marrying them up.
When we export the three cells they need for each name, this particular field is stripped of all the extra preceding zeroes. I don't know about you, but typing '000 into 2,006 records is not exactly my idea of fun. help me.
Back story (if you care about my pain):
A client gave us an Excel file to be used for a mailing containing a letter and an ID card. In the original file, they had a seven digit code for each of the 2006 names in the file. All of these codes were preceded by from 1-4 "0" characters so that they were all 7 digits long, most likely by setting up that column of cells as text fields. We exported the Excel file into our mailing program to do our de-dupe and pre-sort for postal discounting. This action retained the 7 digit code. However, we had to provide a 3rd party vendor with an Excel file that was sorted to match our mailing, since they were producing the ID cards which we wanted in sequence with our printed letter (the names on the letters and cards have to match up). Keeping them both in the same order is kind of crucial to efficiently marrying them up.
When we export the three cells they need for each name, this particular field is stripped of all the extra preceding zeroes. I don't know about you, but typing '000 into 2,006 records is not exactly my idea of fun. help me.
