[LM_NET] STUMPER: ACCESS to Excel conversion problem

[Jody Newman <newjody@COMCAST.NET>]

Hi Netters

In my retired life, I volunteer and handle donations for a non-profit. 
We use a special Access program for our databases. Recently I exported 
an Access file (names and addresses) to an Excel file and noticed that 
some of the zip codes were wrong. After a great deal of scrutiny I 
discovered that whenever the zip code field contained the 4-number 
extension (#####-####) AND the numbers in the extension ranged from 
-0001 to -0012, the conversion messed up the zip code to a bizarre 
number. It didn't do this to the regular 5 digit zip codes and it didn't 
do it to 9 digit zip codes that had extensions of -0000 or anything 
above -0012). Here's the progression of numbers and how they were 
changed. I cannot for the life of me think of what Excel (or maybe 
Access) did to create these weird numbers...I thought it might have been 
something to do with Julian dates but even those, I would think, would 
create an orderly sequencing if numbers were subtracted from them. If 
anyone has an inkling of what formula Excel might have used for just 
these numbers, I might be able to sleep more soundly...

-45653 for 01775-0001

-45653 for 01775-0001
-45622 for 01775-0002
-45594 for 01775-0003
-45563 for 01775-0004
-45533 for 01775-0005
-45502 for 01775-0006
-45472 for 01775-0007
-45441 for 01775-0008
-45410 for 01775-0009
-45380 for 01775-0010
-45349 for 01775-0011
-45319 for 01775-0012

Thanks in advance to any math wizard who can figure this one out.

-- 
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Jody Newman
Library Aide, retired
Stow, MA (01775 of course)
newjody@comcast.net 

Reading is a means of thinking with another person's mind; 
it forces you to stretch your own.--Charles Scribner, Jr. 
                                
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^


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