cell formatted as date won't change

  • Thread starter Thread starter NEHicks
  • Start date Start date
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NEHicks

I have a column of dates (Jul 2,2009) that I want to format as 7/2/09. I can
change the formatting to anything I want and the cells never change. What's
wrong?
 
Your "dates" might actually be entered as text, and not a true date/number.
In which case, you'll need to use something like
=DATEVALUE(A2)
to convert the text to a number, and then you can format it as desired.
 
Two ways to do this

1. Select the range of dates which needs to be corrected. From menu
Data>Text to Columns will populate the 'Convert Text to Columns Wizard' Hit
Next>Next will take you to Step 3 of 3 of the Wizard. From Column Data format
select Date and select the date format in which your data is (MDY).Hit
Finish. MSExcel will now convert the dates to the default date format of your
computer.


2. Using formula; with date in cell A1

=DATEVALUE(TRIM(MID(LEFT(A1,FIND(",",A1)-1),4,4)) & "-"&LEFT(A1,3)&"-" &
RIGHT(A1,4))

If this post helps click Yes
 
If your dates are as you posted in your message; namely, with no space
between the comma and the year, then Excel won't see that as a date. Try
selecting the cells containing your "dates", then click Edit/Replace on the
menu bar, type just a comma in the "Find What" field and type a comma
followed by a space into the "Replace With" field and then click the Replace
All button... if your cells are formatted as General, then all your entries
should turn into real dates.
 
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