=LEFT(TEXT(A1,"00000"),3)

--

Kind Regards,

Niek Otten

Microsoft MVP - Excel

"kanye" wrote in message
...
I have a custom format (00000) on cell A1. The data is 00251. I have a
formula in B2 to read the first 3 digits in A1 (Left, A1, 3). How do I
get
B2 to pick up the data 002 instead of 251? Excel won't read the preceding
0's.