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having trouble with exporting from access to reate an import file for RE.
The Access Database has an ID field (6 chars) that is a text field but the values are primarily numerical. It is a text field because a majority of the IDs have leading zeros.
In my query I am using this field and have changed the header field to be ConsID so I can import it as the Constituent ID.
When I choose to export to a .csv file and opening it in Excel it keeps dropping the leading zeros and making it a general field type.
How can I export this from Access and retain the text data type so it keeps the leading zeros?
I think I figured this out - it was just a display issue with excel - when I open it in word pad the zeroes are still in there. I'm hoping they will import with the leading zeroes - cross your fingers for me...
If you need to open in Excel, change the extension to .txt or even .inp. Once in Excel open the file and you will be prompted to import the file into Excel. YOu are then given the option to decide the type of column each is. You need to explicitly state that the id column, zip in US and phone number in UK should be text. That way the leading zeros will be retained.
Note when you go to save the file however it will see the .txt or the .imp and prompt you to save it as a tab delimited format (after trying to persuade you to save it in Excel format). This works in import but if you want to save it in .csv then put quotes around the file name and select the .csv option from the file format dropdown. If you do not put quotes around it it will change the extension to .csv (which may be OK if that is what you want to begin with)
I was just checking the file to see what exported from Access to see that it looked right before I imported it to RE. Opening it in wordpad satisfied my curiosity.
I usually check this on the 3rd tab of the import, if you look at the lower part of the window, it will show you the headers and a sample of the data - a couple of times I've found that I left something out, so I was able to go back and fix it before importing. (the left out item was never critical thank goodness)
__________________ Elaine Tucker Stewardship Coordinator St. Mark's School of Texas USA www.smtexas.org
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