Question

I have an excel file, validating one column to enter numbers only but it is formatted as if the number is less than 18 the leading zeros will be added. But now the number after 15th digit it will be converting to 0 ex: “002130021300020789”, the nine is changed as 0. After converting the column to text, its accepting but i am not able to add the leading zeros and not able to restrict to input onlu numbers.

Appreciate any help.. thanks in advance.

Answer 1

MS Article: Excel follows the IEEE 754 specification on how to store and calculate floating-point numbers. Excel therefore stores only 15 significant digits in a number, and changes digits after the fifteenth place to zeroes.

To get your number formatting and to also ensure that the user enters only numbers you can do this. I am assuming that you are validating the text in Range A1. Please amend as applicable.

Private Sub Worksheet_Change(ByVal Target As Range)
    On Error GoTo Whoa

    Application.EnableEvents = False

    If Not Intersect(Target, Range("A1")) Is Nothing Then
        '~~> If entered text is not a number then erase input
        If Not IsNumeric(Range("A1").Value) Then
            MsgBox "invalid Input"
            Application.Undo
            GoTo LetsContinue
        End If

        Range("A1").Value = "'" & Format(Range("A1").Value, "000000000000000000")
    End If

LetsContinue:
    Application.EnableEvents = True
    Exit Sub
Whoa:
    MsgBox Err.Description
    Resume LetsContinue
End Sub

FOLLOWUP

If you are copying and pasting then you will have to first format the Range G11:G65536 manually as TEXT and then use this code

SNAPSHOT (When Pasting Numeric Values)

SNAPSHOT (When Pasting Non Numeric Values)

CODE

Private Sub Worksheet_Change(ByVal Target As Range)
    On Error GoTo Whoa

    Dim cl As Range

    Application.EnableEvents = False

    If Not Intersect(Target, Range("G11:G" & Rows.Count)) Is Nothing Then
        For Each cl In Target.Cells
            '~~> If entered text is not a number then erase input
            If Not IsNumeric(cl.Value) Then
                MsgBox "invalid Input"
                Application.Undo
                GoTo LetsContinue
            End If

            cl.Value = "'" & Format(cl.Value, "000000000000000000")
        Next
    End If

LetsContinue:
    Application.EnableEvents = True
    Exit Sub
Whoa:
    MsgBox Err.Description
    Resume LetsContinue
End Sub