Excel number formatting trick (2000 sr1)

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If you’ve ever wanted to or had to duplicate a paper form in Excel you are probably aware of how frustrating Excel’s number formatting is when the cell is too narrow to hold the number (#####). You then have to compromise the size of some columns or give up altogether.

Here is a formating trick I discovered using Center across Selection that makes paper form duplication a lot easier, the trick being to use a format with a “space” fill character on the left.

See some examples in the attached Workbook

FWIW

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Thanks for the tip!

For others reading this: Center across Selection, as suggested by kjktoo, is much to be preferred above the Merge and Center option that is available on the Formatting toolbar. Merging cells causes all kinds of problems and is best avoided. Center across Selection leaves the individual cells intact, it only changes the display.

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