convert text format to numeric

[Guest]

I have a very large spreadsheet with #'s in most cells. Many are manually
entered but others are calculated.

It appears that some of the cells containing manually entered data, have
been entered (or converted) into text format rather than numeric format.

The cells that contain formulas involving these text formatted cells are
skipping them because of the format.

Is there any easy way to convert large blocks of text formated #'s to
numeric format? I think this should be easy but can't figure it out.

None of the text formated #'s have an apostrophe in front. They all have a
small green mark at the top left corner of the cell.

Thanks

 

[David Biddulph]

Number 1 in a spare cell, select & copy, select the cells you want to
convert, paste special/ multiply (or you can add zero in the same way).

 

[Dave Peterson]

I like to do something very similar to David Biddulph's suggestion.

But I start with an empty cell, then copy it.

Select the range to fix
edit|paste special|add

The difference is how empty cells will be treated.

 

[Guest]

By the way, the format, cell function indicates that both numeric and text
formated cells are formated under "general". There is a small "i" inside a
circle next to the problem cells indicating that they are in text format
though.
anand

 

[Guest]

I think you misread Davids answer. Put 1 formatted as a number how you want
it ie number of decimal places, in a cell, copy it. Select the cells to
change and in the paste special use the multiply option that is just up from
the bottom of the list in the operation section.
--
John
MOS Master Instructor Office 2000, 2002 & 2003
Please reply & rate any replies you get

Ice Hockey rules (especially the Wightlink Raiders)

 

[Guest]

Didn't work. If I understood correctly, I enter the # "1" into an open cell
and then copy, special paste, format into the problem cells. That doesn't
work.

Any other approaches?

anand