If you create that comma delimited file and name it something.csv, then excel
will open the file anyway it wants. There's nothing in that CSV file that can
help.

But if you create the comma delimited file and name it something.txt (not .csv),
then when the user opens it (via File|Open), that user will see a text to
columns wizard and then they can specify that certain fields be imported as
text--and keep those leading 0's.

If you keep it as a .csv file, then you can apply a custom format after it's
open--but that'll be up to the user who opens the file.

wrapumup wrote:

I pull this file in and save it with leading zeros using the custom
formatting. I can then open up that text file and see them but when I open it
back up in Excel it cuts of the zeros again. Actuall what is happening is one
program creates a comma delimited file. I want to send that to the user but
when she opens it, I would like it to open up with the default of custom
having the leading zeros so she does not have to customize it each time. I
hope this is clearer sorry I was not so clear the first time.

"wrapumup" wrote:

I see several questions and answers on this. I know I can go to custom format
and for example put 00000.00 to get the display with leading zeros like I
want, but is there a way to make that be the default? I am sending this file
to a user and don't want to make them do this. Thanks.

--

Dave Peterson