Date formatting problems

  • Thread starter Thread starter Dean
  • Start date Start date
D

Dean

This is an easy one, though not for me apparently!

I have a variable cell, say cell B34, with 5/31/2007 currently in it,
formatted as a date. In another cell, I want it to say "as of end of May",
using the text function at the end to produce May. But I am having trouble
with the formatting of that text part, e.g., text(B34,"mmm") or something
like that, but that doesn't work - it gives me January. I tried the month
function, and it does yield 5, but I can't figure out how to get it to
produce May, the fifth month.

Kindly help.

Thanks!
Dean
 
Hi Dean,

Are you sure B34 is a date? Format it as General; it should read 39233. If it gives you some small number, that might be the
result of dividing 5 by 31 and then by 2007 and Excel's date system would indeed interpret that as January.
BTW, use "mmmm" (4 m's) as format code; no difference for May, but January would read Jan with 3 m's.

--
Kind regards,

Niek Otten
Microsoft MVP - Excel

| This is an easy one, though not for me apparently!
|
| I have a variable cell, say cell B34, with 5/31/2007 currently in it,
| formatted as a date. In another cell, I want it to say "as of end of May",
| using the text function at the end to produce May. But I am having trouble
| with the formatting of that text part, e.g., text(B34,"mmm") or something
| like that, but that doesn't work - it gives me January. I tried the month
| function, and it does yield 5, but I can't figure out how to get it to
| produce May, the fifth month.
|
| Kindly help.
|
| Thanks!
| Dean
|
|
 
Good point; are we talking VBA or worksheet formulas?

--
Kind regards,

Niek Otten
Microsoft MVP - Excel

| Maybe: Format(B34, "mmmm")
|
| "Dean" wrote:
|
| > It does show 39233 if formatted as general. Any other ideas?
| >
| > | > > Hi Dean,
| > >
| > > Are you sure B34 is a date? Format it as General; it should read 39233. If
| > > it gives you some small number, that might be the
| > > result of dividing 5 by 31 and then by 2007 and Excel's date system would
| > > indeed interpret that as January.
| > > BTW, use "mmmm" (4 m's) as format code; no difference for May, but January
| > > would read Jan with 3 m's.
| > >
| > > --
| > > Kind regards,
| > >
| > > Niek Otten
| > > Microsoft MVP - Excel
| > >
| > > | > > | This is an easy one, though not for me apparently!
| > > |
| > > | I have a variable cell, say cell B34, with 5/31/2007 currently in it,
| > > | formatted as a date. In another cell, I want it to say "as of end of
| > > May",
| > > | using the text function at the end to produce May. But I am having
| > > trouble
| > > | with the formatting of that text part, e.g., text(B34,"mmm") or
| > > something
| > > | like that, but that doesn't work - it gives me January. I tried the
| > > month
| > > | function, and it does yield 5, but I can't figure out how to get it to
| > > | produce May, the fifth month.
| > > |
| > > | Kindly help.
| > > |
| > > | Thanks!
| > > | Dean
| > > |
| > > |
| > >
| > >
| >
| >
| >
 
I'm sorry for not noting that. We are talking ordinary EXCEL, not macros.
So, I think I'm still stuck.
 
<text(B34,"mmm") or something like that>

The last four words make me feel.... well....<g> For example, you can't get "January" with format code mmm. You can get "Jan".

Please check your formula and copy and paste (not re-type) it to any reply. Are you sure you point to the correct cell? Is
calculation set to Automatic (check, you might be surprised!)

--
Kind regards,

Niek Otten
Microsoft MVP - Excel


| I'm sorry for not noting that. We are talking ordinary EXCEL, not macros.
| So, I think I'm still stuck.
|
| | > Good point; are we talking VBA or worksheet formulas?
| >
| > --
| > Kind regards,
| >
| > Niek Otten
| > Microsoft MVP - Excel
| >
| > | > | Maybe: Format(B34, "mmmm")
| > |
| > | "Dean" wrote:
| > |
| > | > It does show 39233 if formatted as general. Any other ideas?
| > | >
| > | > | > | > > Hi Dean,
| > | > >
| > | > > Are you sure B34 is a date? Format it as General; it should read
| > 39233. If
| > | > > it gives you some small number, that might be the
| > | > > result of dividing 5 by 31 and then by 2007 and Excel's date system
| > would
| > | > > indeed interpret that as January.
| > | > > BTW, use "mmmm" (4 m's) as format code; no difference for May, but
| > January
| > | > > would read Jan with 3 m's.
| > | > >
| > | > > --
| > | > > Kind regards,
| > | > >
| > | > > Niek Otten
| > | > > Microsoft MVP - Excel
| > | > >
| > | > > | > | > > | This is an easy one, though not for me apparently!
| > | > > |
| > | > > | I have a variable cell, say cell B34, with 5/31/2007 currently in
| > it,
| > | > > | formatted as a date. In another cell, I want it to say "as of end
| > of
| > | > > May",
| > | > > | using the text function at the end to produce May. But I am
| > having
| > | > > trouble
| > | > > | with the formatting of that text part, e.g., text(B34,"mmm") or
| > | > > something
| > | > > | like that, but that doesn't work - it gives me January. I tried
| > the
| > | > > month
| > | > > | function, and it does yield 5, but I can't figure out how to get
| > it to
| > | > > | produce May, the fifth month.
| > | > > |
| > | > > | Kindly help.
| > | > > |
| > | > > | Thanks!
| > | > > | Dean
| > | > > |
| > | > > |
| > | > >
| > | > >
| > | >
| > | >
| > | >
| >
| >
|
|
 
Month (b4) shows up as 5.

=TEXT(MONTH(B4),"mmm")

is the formula I used, and cell B4 is:

5/1/2007, which shows up as a large number 32903 if I format it as general.
It is definitely pointing to the right cell. I had recalc except tables but
I changed it to automatic and the problem is still there. I closed out of
EXCEL but that did not help. Perhaps I should reboot?


Dean
 
=month(b4) will return a number between 1 and 12.

=text(1,"mmm") will return Jan since 1 is the same as January 1, 1900
=text(2,"mmm") will return Jan since 2 is the same as January 2, 1900
....
=text(12,"mmm") will return Jan since 12 is the same as January 12, 1900

If B4 contained a date, then:
=text(B4,"mmm") will return a 3 letter abbreviation of whatever month B4 holds.
 
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