I am importing a file into Excel. This Excel file will be read by an
automated system and needs to be formatted in a very precise way. Each field
from the data source (name, for example) is automatically inputed into a
column in Excel.

In order for the automated system to read this file, each column must be a
specific number of characters long, with blanks or zeroes making up the
difference. For example, if the name was "smith" and the "name" column is
supposed to be 40 characters long, the remaining 35 characters would have to
be accounted for somehow. I want the final product in Excel to be a text
string (no spaces, commas, columns, etc between each). I will be running
this report regularly, so the simpler the solution, the better.

Thanks!

Hi, Sarah-
Here's one way: using your "Smith" example in a field that must be 40
characters long, enter the name Smith into cell A1. In cell B1 type
this formula:
=A1&REPT(" ",40-LEN(A1))

This formula determines the length of the name in A1, subtracts that
number from 40, then adds that number of spaces to the name in A1.

You can copy that formula and Paste As values to convert the results
into text.

Dave O