Well, that took a bit of manuvering but I got it to work!

The shipping software automatically enters the data for us so I'm not able
to change the way that it is initially stored. If I open the file and then
try to change that column to text, it just makes the 9.10101E27 into a text
entry.

I did FINALLY get the tracking numbers to show up by using the Data, Import
External Data command and selecting the column to be displayed as text before
the file was actually imported. Wow, what a pain! If anyone knows of a better
way, please let me know. It does actually work now though.

phew, I've been working on this for days. Thanks for the help Bigwheel.

"bigwheel" wrote:

enter your tracking numbers as text (you won't be using them for
calculations)(will you?)

"LMH_VT" wrote:

I feel like I'm a pretty experienced Excel user but I'm totally baffled by
this problem.

I use software to print postage for my business and the log file is saved in
.csv format. It is often helpful for us to share the .csv files from other
computers onto my machine. Whenever I open the file though, all of the
tracking numbers show up as 9.10101E27 When I click on the cell, the
function bar gives me a few more digits but not nearly all of them and not
enough for me to actually track the package.

I also tried opening a brand new worksheet and typing in a number 11111111
into the first cell. I increased the number one digit at a time until it
automatically changed to 1.1111E11 (so, 12 digits seems to be the cutoff).

I feel like I've tried everything including un-installing and re-installing
Excel but I cannot figure out how to get the numbers to display completely
with every digit showing. This does not seem to be a "format, cells" issue
because even the function bar is showing the number as stored incorrectly
(normally, that value should be unchanged by the Format, Cells command) and
the value only changes at 12 digits regardless of how large or small the
column width is.

I'm at my wits end. Please, any help would be GREATLY appreciated.

Thank you,
Lindsey Hathway