You could try Custom Formatting?

if you enter a number eg 0400 in a cell, it automatically goes to 400. So
hit Ctrl 1 to bring up the format cells options. In the Number tab, select
the Custom category, then in Type, input 0#### where the # stands for the
length of the number. This should put a zero in front assuming you've put in
enough #'s.

HTH

Mike

"Bev Greene" wrote:

Is there anyway besides formatting the cell for text to keep the left side 0
in a cell from disappearing? Product name Excel 2003

Thanks