Dates changing

[E]

I am copying a date from one file to another. The date is 01/01/2009, with
date number 39814. When I copy this to the other file the number is still
39814, but the date appears as 02/01/2013. Please could you explain why the
date has changed when I cannot see a difference, and recommend how I can fix
this.

 

[E]

Ie, it changes from 1 Jan 2009 to 2 Jan 2013.

 

[Fred Smith]

One of your spreadsheets is set up for the 1900 date system, the other is
the 1904 date system. Change them to be the same
(Tools>Options>Calculation>1904 date system).

Regards,
Fred.

 

[Chip Pearson]

Excel supports two date systems. The default system bases dates on
1-Jan-1900. The other system, for supporting Mac systems, bases dates
on 1-Jan-1904. Using data from workbooks that use different date
systems will cause problems. You can turn off the 1904 system. Go to
the Tools menu, choose Options, and then the Calculation tab. There,
uncheck "1904 date system". Note that this will fix the
incompatibility of workbooks that were created with the 1904 date
syste.

Cordially,
Chip Pearson
Microsoft Most Valuable Professional
Excel Product Group, 1998 - 2009
Pearson Software Consulting, LLC
www.cpearson.com
(email on web site)

 

[E]

Thanks from myself and my colleague. That's fixed it.

 

[Bob I]

UNcheck "Use 1904 date system" in Options.