Your telephone numbers are probably not real numbers, but text.

Custom formats only work on true numbers.

You should convert them to numbers *before* you copy them to your
pre-formatted column.

Right click in a new, unused, empty cell, and choose "Copy".
Select the column of telephone numbers and right click in that selection,
and choose "Paste Special".
Click on "Add", then <OK.

NOW, copy your numbers to your pre-formatted column, and you should have
what you want.
--
HTH,

RD

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"Vin" wrote in message
...
I have a column of telephone numbers which I want formatted to the
following
##### ### ###.
I have formatted a blank column and tried to copy and paste the column of
telephone numbers using paste specialValues, however this does not seem
to
work.

Does anyone have any suggestions

Thanks