I have a spreadsheet that users paste reference numbers into from another
system. The numbers are either 4, 5 or 11 digits long. Because a lot of the
11 digit numbers begin with a zero that cannot be dropped the cell format has
to be text.

Whenever the user pastes an 11 digit number beginning in a zero the cell
format in excel gets changed from 'Text' to 'General' and the zero is lost

Any ideas on how I can lock the cell format. Excel 2000 user

"Richard" wrote in message
...
I have a spreadsheet that users paste reference numbers into from another
system. The numbers are either 4, 5 or 11 digits long. Because a lot of
the
11 digit numbers begin with a zero that cannot be dropped the cell format
has
to be text.

Whenever the user pastes an 11 digit number beginning in a zero the cell
format in excel gets changed from 'Text' to 'General' and the zero is lost

Any ideas on how I can lock the cell format. Excel 2000 user

This is not a method of locking, but can't they use the Paste Special-Value
trick to put their numbers into the sheet?

Hi Doug.

At present that is what they do. Unfortunately sometimes they forget
themselves & just do a 'paste'. The paste not only turns the cell to from
text to general format but amends that cels from locked to unlocked. As teh
workbook is protected I have to ask all users to come out of the [shared}
workbook, unprotect the worksheet, unlock & correct the cell and then
reprotect & reativate the shared facility.

"Doug Kanter" wrote:


"Richard" wrote in message
...
I have a spreadsheet that users paste reference numbers into from another
system. The numbers are either 4, 5 or 11 digits long. Because a lot of
the
11 digit numbers begin with a zero that cannot be dropped the cell format
has
to be text.

Whenever the user pastes an 11 digit number beginning in a zero the cell
format in excel gets changed from 'Text' to 'General' and the zero is lost

Any ideas on how I can lock the cell format. Excel 2000 user

This is not a method of locking, but can't they use the Paste Special-Value
trick to put their numbers into the sheet?

Format the receiving cell so that a "text" leading zero appears in front
of any number pasted in

eg "0"000


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"robert111" wrote
in message ...

Format the receiving cell so that a "text" leading zero appears in front
of any number pasted in

eg "0"000

In Excel 2000, a simple paste function brings the copied format with it. Is
that not the case with later versions?