Excel enters date as a text format

[Guest]

Hi, I have Excel 2003 and have been working with 2000 for a while (hate that
new feature with error checking,etc.)

Anyways, I have a problem when trying to enter a date (ie. entering as
2/15/2005 or 2-15-2005) it's always entering it as a text format (ie.
'2/15/2005).

Well, this is leaving a problem with me because I can't change it to a
different date format now because it's recognizing it as a text instead of a
date.

I never had this problem with Excel 2000, I just entering the date and it
automatically enters it as a date. What the heck is going on with Excel 2003
(so far I'm not impressed that even a little thing as entering a date
Microsoft manages to complicate it)

 

[Ron de Bruin]

Hi Kane

Look if the cells are format as Text
Select the cells and use Ctrl-1

Change it to general

 

[Bob Phillips]

And to fix the ones already done, select it, hit Ctrl-Shift-#, then hit F2
end Enter.

--

HTH

RP
(remove nothere from the email address if mailing direct)

 

[Gord Dibben]

Kane

Perhaps your Regional Options Short Date setting is dd/mm/yyyy.

If that is the case then 15/2/2005 would be a date and 2/15/2005 is text.

Either learn to enter dates in that format or change the Regional Options to
mm/dd/yyyy


Gord Dibben Excel MVP