Excel doesn't seem to understand the concept of numeric text strings. If it
looks like a number, Excel seems bent on making it a number. If I import
data from some other source, e.g., Part Numbers, or Cost Account Codes, I
have trouble with functions like VLOOKUP, because there is not a match
between key values, even though they look alike. I have to manually reenter
the values in order to convert them back into text, so they will match the
values in the lookup table.

My question is, when is Excel going to straighten this mess out, and until
then, how can I convert an entire column of numbers back into text, short of
pressing F2 and Enter five thousand times?

Thanks,