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Keith Kargl's avatar
Keith Kargl
Copper Contributor
Jun 16, 2017

When I paste a long number, Excel turns it into scientific notation and changes numbers.

Here's an example.  I have a long number (it's from a license plate/bar code): 00100018320523710862 Whether I use my bar code software's export-excel function, or PASTE the number directly, here is...
Excel
  • simongoh's avatar
    simongoh
    Apr 14, 2022

    after pasting, click on the column, format cells, fraction and ok. That works for me. Keith Kargl 

Lorenzo Kim's avatar
Lorenzo Kim
Bronze Contributor
Aug 22, 2018
would pre-formatting the column or row to "Number" do the trick?
  • BobOrrell's avatar
    BobOrrell
    Iron Contributor
    Aug 22, 2018

    No, due to the 15 digit limit for numbers in Excel

    • Lorenzo Kim's avatar
      Lorenzo Kim
      Bronze Contributor
      Aug 22, 2018

      Mr. Orrell

      yes you're right!

      no matter how long the number - in the cell it will only show 15 digits - the rest being zeroes...

      thanks

      • Aaron White's avatar
        Aaron White
        Copper Contributor
        Oct 19, 2018

        I was having this same problem: 20 digit number was getting 00000s at the end or being stored in scientific notation.

         

        The work around: format the cell as text and add a ' in front of the number string.  The cell will not display the ' before the number and will display only the full number without zeros at the end.

         

        Ex.  123456789123456789 was showing up as 123456789123456000 when formatted as anumber and showing in scientific notation when formatted as text.  Changed cell formatting to text and entered '123456789123456789 as the cell value.  Cell displays 123456789123456789 accurately afterwards.

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