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How to Import Long FedEx Tracking Numbers into Excel Without Scientific Notation
Question details
The user needs to import CSV files containing long FedEx tracking numbers into Excel without the numbers converting to scientific notation or permanently losing significant digits.
- Product
- Microsoft Excel
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Opening or importing CSV files that contain long numeric strings such as FedEx tracking numbers.
- Observed behavior
- Excel automatically converts numeric values exceeding 15 digits into scientific notation and permanently discards the trailing digits, replacing them with zeros.
Ensure you have the original, unedited CSV file. If you have already opened the CSV directly in Excel and saved it, the lost digits are permanently discarded and cannot be recovered by formatting; you will need to download a fresh copy of the file.
Use the Text Import Wizard to Format as Text
By renaming the CSV to a TXT file, you can force Excel to open the Text Import Wizard, allowing you to explicitly set the tracking number column to Text format before the data loads.
Excel's default behavior is to treat anything that looks like a number as a numeric value. Forcing the Text Import Wizard lets you intercept this behavior and define specific columns as text strings, bypassing the 15-digit precision limit.
Locate your downloaded CSV file in your computer's file explorer. Right-click the file, select Rename, and change the .csv extension to .txt. Confirm the prompt warning about changing file extensions.
Launch Excel, go to File > Open, and click Browse. Change the file type dropdown in the bottom right corner to 'All Files (*.*)', locate your renamed .txt file, and open it.
In the Text Import Wizard that appears, select 'Delimited' and click Next. In the delimiters section, check 'Comma' (and uncheck Tab if necessary), then click Next.
In the Data preview section at the bottom of the window, click on the column containing the FedEx tracking numbers so it is highlighted. In the 'Column data format' section above it, select the 'Text' radio button.
Click Finish to load your data. The tracking numbers will now display exactly as they did in the original file, without converting to scientific notation.
Import Data Using Power Query
Power Query provides a modern and robust way to import CSV files and transform column data types without needing to change the original file extension.
Automate the Import Using a VBA Macro
If you frequently import CSV files with long tracking numbers, a VBA macro can automate the process by parsing the file and prefixing values with an apostrophe.
Easily Import CSV Files Without Losing Data in WPS Office
WPS Spreadsheet offers an intuitive Data Import feature that effortlessly prevents long numbers, such as FedEx tracking IDs, from converting into scientific notation. Handle large datasets accurately with guaranteed format compatibility.
- 1. Open WPS Spreadsheet: Launch WPS Office and create a new blank Spreadsheet workbook.
- 2. Access Import Data: Navigate to the Data tab on the top ribbon and select 'Import Data'.
- 3. Select your CSV: Choose 'Import Data' again from the dropdown, browse for your CSV file, and open it.
- 4. Set the Delimiter: In the File Conversion dialog, ensure the delimiter is set to Comma and click Next.
- 5. Format column as Text: Click the column containing the FedEx tracking numbers to highlight it, set the Column data format to 'Text', and click Finish to import without data loss.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Excel change my FedEx tracking numbers to scientific notation?
Excel has a maximum numeric precision limit of 15 digits. Any number exceeding this length, like long FedEx tracking numbers, is automatically converted to scientific notation, and any digits beyond the 15th place are permanently changed to zeros.
Can I simply format the scientific notation back to normal numbers?
No. If you opened the CSV directly in Excel and the conversion already took place, the discarded digits are permanently lost. Changing the cell format to Text or Number afterward will only show zeros at the end of the tracking number. You must re-import the data correctly.
Do I have to rename the CSV to TXT every time I want to import it?
Not necessarily. While renaming to TXT forces the older Text Import Wizard to appear, using Power Query (via Data > Get Data > From Text/CSV) allows you to import directly from a CSV file and change the column format to Text before loading it into your sheet.
