Changing number format to remove %

[Roger on Excel]

I have a formatting problem

I have cells with a general format so when i type something it comes out as
typed.

However...

If I type a % number in for example 50%. If I retype text into the same cell
afterwards it come out as text%, retaining the percentage format.

Even when I reapply the general format from the format cells dialog, or use
the format painter, the % doesnt go away. I have to manually select the text
and delete the % sign.

Can anyone offer help on how to revert the cells back to general format to
stop the percentage format dominating when it is used?

Thanks,

Roger

 

[Joel]

You can't use General formating! Either use number format which will product
a decimal number (10% = .10) or enter the number as 10 (not 10%). If it is a
formula then include multiplying by 100 so .10 (10%) is (.10 * 100).

 

[Dave Peterson]

I used xl2003 for my testing.

I typed 50% in H1 (formatted as General before I did the data entry).
After I hit enter, excel "helped" me by changing the format to Percentage with 0
decimal places (or 0%).

I change the format to General and I see 0.5 in the cell and in the formulabar.

I can type any number in that cell and I see it in General (not percentage
format).

=======
On the other hand, if I have a cell formatted as Text to start, I can type 50%
and see 50% in the cell and formula bar.

If I change the numberformat from Text to General, I still see 50%. Changing
the format of the cell doesn't change the value of the cell--it's still the text
characters 50% (not the numeric value .5).

But any value (no % symbol) shows up as in General format.

I guess my questions are:

Are you sure the cell was General when you started?
Any helpful event macros that are formatting the cell for you after you change
the value?