IF you make them numbers, then you will lose any leading zeroes; for
example, 0012-005 will become 12 and 5 in columns B and C... with that
confuse your users?

You can have MAX work with text in needed. Here is an array formula
example...

=MAX(--(C2:C1000))

but the formula must be committed using Ctrl+Shift+Enter, not use Enter by
itself.

Rick


"JICDB" wrote in message
...
I tried this way and it worked great except that I guess I need it to be
number and not text for a MAX function I use on this field. (see reply to
Rick) But this is a great formula to keep in my repertoire. Thanks for
your
help.

"T. Valko" wrote:

One way...

A1 = 0001-000

You'd have to preformat B1 and C1 as TEXT.

Then as data validation formulas:

In B1:

=EXACT(LEFT(A1,4),B1)

In C1:

=EXACT(RIGHT(A1,3),C1)

--
Biff
Microsoft Excel MVP


"JICDB" wrote in message
...
I have a project code in column A formatted as general and the user
should
be
entering 4 digits dash 3 digits (0001-000). In column B and C the user
needs
to break out each part of those numbers. In B they need to type 0001
and
in
C they type 000. I wanted to place a data validation in B that gives
the
user an error message is the number typed in B do not equal the left 4
characters in A. Same for B with the right 3 characters of A. I've
tried
a
few things but I can't get the formula right. Any ideas?