As an example, in Shipment.Header we'd have a port.Lading with a numeric value of 901 and in District.Port, it would be the character equivalent of "0901" zero filled. thanks, Mike -- View this message in context: http://www.nabble.com/toString-tf4029720.html#a11498978 Sent from the drools - user mailing list archive at Nabble.com.