copy and pasting dates

[vfxjohn]

no matter what i try, i can not successfully copy one set of dates
from an excel file to another file. whenever i paste the dates into
the other file, using either paste or paste-special (and all the
various options withing paste special), excel pastes dates with the
incorrect year.

why is this happening???!?!?!

 

[Alan]

It sounds like one of the files has the 1904 time set. Tools > Options >
Calculation Tab. See if 1904 date system is checked.
Regards,
Alan.

 

[Dave Peterson]

One workbook was using a base year of 1900 and the other was using 1904.
(tools|options|calculation tab|1904 date system (in xl2003 menus))

One way to add those four years back is to find an empty cell, put 1462 into
that cell.

Copy that cell.

Select your range that contains the dates.
Edit|PasteSpecial|click Add and values
(or subtract depending on which workbook you're changing)

Most windows users use 1900 as the base date. Mac users (mostly??) use 1904 as
the base date.