Copy Paste issue

  • Thread starter Thread starter Guest
  • Start date Start date
G

Guest

As a freelancer, a company sends me some spreadsheets. I copy the data and
paste it into a new spreadsheet (to preserve the integrity of the original
data) then manipulate as appropriate.

However, the date field is not copying and pasting correctly. The original
spreadsheet is some sort of txt file (downloaded from an archaic database
system - I am trying to get them to send me a copy of this orginal txt file)
which they convert to an excel spreadsheet - all on a PC. Fine. They zip it,
send it to me. I am on Mac. I unzip and look at the information. The date
field is correct. When I copy the date field and paste it into a new
document, it changes the number date (adds one day) and the year (adds 4
years).

Has anyone else experienced this? Anyone have any ideas for
troubleshooting? I double checked the cell format (as number type = date)
for the original spreadsheet and on the new spreadsheet.

Thanks so much!
 
XL has 2 date systems.
Since you're on a Mac, could very well be that the Mac default system is the
1904, while the data you're receiving is the standard 1900.

<Tools> <Options> <Calculation> tab.
 
This is what I needed. Thanks so much!

For those who are on Macs and reading this for further information:
On the Excel menu, click Preferences, and then click Calculation.
That's where you find the 1904 selection.

I don't really know how to make that the default setting, but that's how
it's fixed.
=)
 
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