Software

I have a spreadsheet that generates dollar values for assessments on a long list of properties (2,800+ parcels). I have to supply the list to my local County Assessor in a fixed-field format, comma delimited file. I don't have a problem with the csv file, but the fixed-field is driving me nuts.

I have used custom formats to pad out the numeric fields with zeroes so that every field is 12 digits long. However, I have 4 different cases of values: zero, between 10 and 99, between 100 and 999 and over 1,000. Each one requires a different numeric format to make all of the fields 12 digits long. When the assessments change, I have to scroll through the list and apply the different formats to the values that have changed so that every value will have 12 digits.

One workaround I have used - from the "hammer-and-tongs" school of programming, is to sort the list on the values, which clumps all the like values together, format the like values, then resort on the parcel number. I'd like something a little more straightforward, though, because I will be handing this off to someone else.

I have looked at Conditional Formatting in Excel and on the MSN site, but they only apply to colors. I'm not much of a VBA programmer, although I can type in someone else's code and run it. Is VBA going to be the solution? What is the VBA function to apply a numeric format to a cell?

Thanks for your help.