OL98: Postal Codes Import Incorrectly from Excel Workbook (181247)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Outlook 98
  • Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows
This article was previously published under Q181247

SYMPTOMS

When you use the Microsoft Outlook Import and Export Wizard to import a Microsoft Excel file that contains postal codes, the postal codes import either with three decimal places or not at all.

CAUSE

You did not format all of the Microsoft Excel zip code cells as "Zip Code + 4." By default, Excel uses the General format for numbers. This format does not import properly into Outlook when you use the Excel converter in the Outlook Import and Export Wizard. If you use a mix of "Zip Code" and "Zip Code + 4" cell formats in the same worksheet, the numbers may not import properly. If you use five-plus-four digit postal codes formatted as "Zip Code", they may not import properly.

RESOLUTION

You can work around this problem two ways.

Format Cells as Zip Code + 4

The preferred method is to format the cells in Excel as "Zip Code + 4" whenever you use any type of postal code. Five-digit postal codes then import as 12345-0000 and five-plus-four-digit postal codes import as 12345- 1234. If you format the cells as "Zip Code," the imported results may contain decimals.

Follow these steps to set the cell format:
  1. In Excel, select the cells containing postal codes.
  2. On the Format menu, click Cells.
  3. In the Category list, click Special.
  4. In the Type list, click "Zip Code + 4" and then click OK.

Export the File as a Text File

The second method is to export the file from Excel to a comma or tab delimited text file. Then import the delimited text file into Outlook.

MORE INFORMATION

When you create an Excel worksheet that contains postal code numbers in the five-digit format (12345) or in the five-plus-four-digit format (12345- 1234), the postal code numbers do not import properly into Outlook. If the cell format is General, the five-digit numbers import with three decimal places. For example, the postal code 123345 imports into Outlook as 12345.000 and the five-plus-four-digit numbers do not import at all. For example, Outlook imports the postal code of 12345-1234 as a blank field.

If you format the cells as "Zip Code + 4," the data imports properly into Outlook.

REFERENCES

For more information about exchanging Excel information with Outlook, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

180315 OL98: Importing from Microsoft Excel Requires Named Range

For more information about Field Mapping in Outlook 98, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

182728 OL98: Field Mapping for Importing Not Available

Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:10/23/2000
Keywords:kbprb KB181247
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