I merged 4 cells(E1,F1,G1 & H1) and put Ron's formula into E1 and it worked
OK for me. It rejected alpha strings (abc...) or numbers less 8 digits.

XL2003.

"Connie Martin" wrote:

It also won't let me type 12345678, which is an 8-digit number. The cell is
4 cells merged, but when you click in it, it is identified as E4 so I changed
all the A1 references in your formula to E4 but it won't accept 12345678.

"Ron Coderre" wrote:

Try something like this:

Select the cells to have Data Validation, with A1 as the active cell

<Data<Validation<Settings tab
Allow: Custom
Formula: =AND(A10,INT(A1)=A1,LEN(A1)=8)

Does that help?

***********
Regards,
Ron

XL2002, WinXP-Pro


"Connie Martin" wrote:

I want to validate a cell that it must have an 8-digit number put in it---no
shorter, no longer. No matter how I validate the cell it won't work unless I
select "text length". This is not to be text! It's supposed to be an
8-digit number! What gives? How does one validate this cell to restrict it
to just that? How can something so simple be so contrary?

Further .... it rejected numbers with leading zero(s)! (which I understand is
what you want).

"Toppers" wrote:

I merged 4 cells(E1,F1,G1 & H1) and put Ron's formula into E1 and it worked
OK for me. It rejected alpha strings (abc...) or numbers less 8 digits.

XL2003.

"Connie Martin" wrote:

It also won't let me type 12345678, which is an 8-digit number. The cell is
4 cells merged, but when you click in it, it is identified as E4 so I changed
all the A1 references in your formula to E4 but it won't accept 12345678.

"Ron Coderre" wrote:

Try something like this:

Select the cells to have Data Validation, with A1 as the active cell

<Data<Validation<Settings tab
Allow: Custom
Formula: =AND(A10,INT(A1)=A1,LEN(A1)=8)

Does that help?

***********
Regards,
Ron

XL2002, WinXP-Pro


"Connie Martin" wrote:

I want to validate a cell that it must have an 8-digit number put in it---no
shorter, no longer. No matter how I validate the cell it won't work unless I
select "text length". This is not to be text! It's supposed to be an
8-digit number! What gives? How does one validate this cell to restrict it
to just that? How can something so simple be so contrary?