I have a list of account numbers that are 3, 4 and 5 digits in length. They
of course print right justified. I need to have each cell in the column be 12
characters in length, even if the account number is only 4 digits long. I
have added spaces and Excel ignores them. Indent works but I can't control
the length of the indent. I need this to be able to move the file to an
HP3000 processing system. Does anyone have any ideas?

How are you saving the file? I have had this for .prn files, where I have to
left justify and set the column width to 12 (pixels) before saving as a .prn
file.

Other suggestion which it seems like you might have tried was to add spaces
with a new cell like this =RIGHT(" "&A1,12)

that's the best I can think of
--
Allllen


"Russell Hampton" wrote:

I have a list of account numbers that are 3, 4 and 5 digits in length. They
of course print right justified. I need to have each cell in the column be 12
characters in length, even if the account number is only 4 digits long. I
have added spaces and Excel ignores them. Indent works but I can't control
the length of the indent. I need this to be able to move the file to an
HP3000 processing system. Does anyone have any ideas?

=REPT(1,12-(LEN(C1)))&C1
if your account numbers are in column c,type this formula in col d and copy
down.This particular example precedes your existing account numbers with as
many 1's as required to make a 12 digit number,modify as required

paul

remove nospam for email addy!



"Russell Hampton" wrote:

I have a list of account numbers that are 3, 4 and 5 digits in length. They
of course print right justified. I need to have each cell in the column be 12
characters in length, even if the account number is only 4 digits long. I
have added spaces and Excel ignores them. Indent works but I can't control
the length of the indent. I need this to be able to move the file to an
HP3000 processing system. Does anyone have any ideas?

A couple of things to try:
1) format the column of account numbers as Text
2) format the cells with custom format of 12 zeros
3) type ' then the account id with leading spaces to make 12 characters
best wishes ( a wave of nostalgia as I recall my days with COBOL on an HP
3000 !)
--
Bernard V Liengme
www.stfx.ca/people/bliengme
remove caps from email

"Russell Hampton" wrote in
message ...
I have a list of account numbers that are 3, 4 and 5 digits in length. They
of course print right justified. I need to have each cell in the column be
12
characters in length, even if the account number is only 4 digits long. I
have added spaces and Excel ignores them. Indent works but I can't control
the length of the indent. I need this to be able to move the file to an
HP3000 processing system. Does anyone have any ideas?