Can not add numbers or change cell format

[Guest]

Excel 2002 (10.6823.6825) SP3

I imported data from large tabbed Word file.
File was decades of financial ledger data with yearly totals.
After import it appeared perfect.
I moved manually added totals to other cells to compare later.
I put in first formula to simply sum some cells and it got 0 where is should
have been thousands.

I searched groups and tried all kinds of copy, paste-special with multiply
of 1 and it all failed. Then I notice simple format of cells is not really
working. I can format to put in and out comma separation and it "does it"
with out actually affecting the data in the cell (eg no $-sign change, no
comma change).

 

[Guest]

The SUM of zero suggests the numeric data is text and changing format would
also have no effect.

Try putting 1 (one) in a spare cell, then COPY this Cell, select a column of
data, EDIT==>Paste Special->Operation=>Multiply.

HTH

 

[Guest]

The SUM of zero suggests the numeric data is text and changing format would
also have no effect.

Try putting 1 (one) in a spare cell, then COPY this Cell, select a column of
data, EDIT==>Paste Special->Operation=>Multiply.

HTH

I found exactly that method by googling and tried it before I posted. That
method works perfectly in a worksheet I set up just to experiment. But in the
worksheet I actually need to modify, when I do the 'past special' I do not
get the same options pop-up with the multiply option. Instead I get one that
asks something about ascii data versus some other (I for got 8-bit euro or
something) format.
Thank you for your assistance.