Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Excel 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Excel, click here: Adding Leading Zeroes to ZIP Codes.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated October 28, 2023)
This tip applies to Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003
When you import ZIP Codes from a text file into an Excel workbook, it is not uncommon for Excel to translate the values as numbers rather than as ZIP Codes. This results in leading zeroes being dropped from the ZIP Codes, which can obviously cause problems later using the data for its intended purpose.
One solution, of course, is to simply change the display format used for ZIP Code cells. This may work for the display, but the underlying data is still missing the leading zeroes. A better solution is to use a macro that goes through and adds leading zeroes to the information in a cell. The following macro does just that:
Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Excel 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Excel, click here:
Sub MakeZIPText()
Dim ThisCell As Range
Application.ScreenUpdating = False
'Make sure format is text
Selection.NumberFormat = "@"
For Each ThisCell In Selection
'Strip the leading apostrophe, if any
If Left(ThisCell, 1) = "'" Then
ThisCell = Mid(ThisCell, 2, 99)
End If
'It's a 5-digit ZIP Code
If Len(ThisCell) <= 5 Then
ThisCell = "'" & Right("00000" & ThisCell, 5)
Else
ThisCell = "'" & Right("00000" & ThisCell, 10)
End If
Next ThisCell
Application.ScreenUpdating = True
End Sub
To use the macro, simply select the range of cells containing the ZIP Codes, then run the macro. The macro actually changes the cell contents—no longer will the cells contain numeric values (the cause of the original problem), but they will contain text values. This allows the leading zeroes to appear at the beginning of the ZIP Codes.
Note:
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (2598) applies to Microsoft Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. You can find a version of this tip for the ribbon interface of Excel (Excel 2007 and later) here: Adding Leading Zeroes to ZIP Codes.
Excel Smarts for Beginners! Featuring the friendly and trusted For Dummies style, this popular guide shows beginners how to get up and running with Excel while also helping more experienced users get comfortable with the newest features. Check out Excel 2019 For Dummies today!
Write out a check and you need to include the digits for the amount of the check and the value of the check written out ...
Discover MoreImport information from a program external to Excel, and your numbers may be treated as text because of the way that the ...
Discover MoreYou can, from within your macros, easily display a message box containing a message of your choice. If you want to ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)
Got a version of Excel that uses the menu interface (Excel 97, Excel 2000, Excel 2002, or Excel 2003)? This site is for you! If you use a later version of Excel, visit our ExcelTips site focusing on the ribbon interface.
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2026 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Comments