Hi,
I have an Excel file with a column that contains 10-digit codes (such as 0000324573) which start with zeros (sometimes 2, leaving 8 digit for digits 1 to 9; sometimes 4, leaving 6 digit for digits 1 to 9). The same column contains cells with strings. When I export this into Stata, it gets exported as string (in red font). However, the first zeros at the begging of that code are dropped.
I looked at my Excel file and realized that the format in Excel is not text; it is "custom with 0000000000". When I try changing the format to text in Excel, the zeros disappear.
How can I export this column to Stata while maintaining the zeros at the beginning?
I can add a character at the beginning or end of the codes in Excel and export the column into Stata and then remove the character. But, I wonder if there is any faster and more straight forward way to avoid possible mistakes.
Thanks,
Navid
I have an Excel file with a column that contains 10-digit codes (such as 0000324573) which start with zeros (sometimes 2, leaving 8 digit for digits 1 to 9; sometimes 4, leaving 6 digit for digits 1 to 9). The same column contains cells with strings. When I export this into Stata, it gets exported as string (in red font). However, the first zeros at the begging of that code are dropped.
I looked at my Excel file and realized that the format in Excel is not text; it is "custom with 0000000000". When I try changing the format to text in Excel, the zeros disappear.
How can I export this column to Stata while maintaining the zeros at the beginning?
I can add a character at the beginning or end of the codes in Excel and export the column into Stata and then remove the character. But, I wonder if there is any faster and more straight forward way to avoid possible mistakes.
Thanks,
Navid
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