Copy/Paste eBay Item number into Excel spreadsheet problem.

[RealBlackStuff]

I am trying to keep track of my sales on eBay.
When I Copy the Item number 270216272022 into my Excel (Office 2000) spreadsheet, it pastes as 2.70216E+11, regardless of how I format the receiving cell (General, text, number, custom, whatever).
I have to use Paste Special and select the Text option, to get the proper number, as shown in eBay.

I assume it has to do with copying a HTML number/text from the webpage.
Is there a way to copy/paste this without using the Paste Special/Text?

[rush242]

Check your settings for Format > Cell > Numbers.

It's looks like it's seeing the item number as an exceptionally large number and is putting it there as plain text alright, except that it is using scientific notation.

2.70216E+11 is 2.70216 times 10 to the 11th which is very close to the number that is your item number.

I don't have Excel on here so I can't give you the exact path to the setting you need to change.

[mpcook]

You can paste, then format the cell with F)ormat N)umber then zero decimal places. In mine, it then changes it to an integer. For some reason, it will always default to scientififc notation. I have Excel 2003 and don't see a way to set a default on this.

[RealBlackStuff]

Thanks, but I know I have to format that cell after the copying,
but that's even more cumbersome than using Paste Special/Text.

I'm hoping for an easier, straight-forward copy/paste option.

[K0LO]

Put a single quote character ( ' ) in the cell before you choose Paste and the cell contents will be interpreted as text.

[RealBlackStuff]

Hey thanks, that's a neat trick!

[K0LO]

You're welcome!