Newbie Question

  • Thread starter Thread starter News Groups
  • Start date Start date
N

News Groups

Hi. Using Excel 2003 with XP Pro.
I'd like to enter numbers without having to enter the plus sign (+) first.
When I enter "5+5" it treats it as text instead of giving me the total (10).
Any way to change this default?
TIA
John
 
Typing a string of characters into a cell even though it might look like a
formula is alwasy considered TEXT by Excel, "UNLESS" it is preceeded by an
equal sign, like =5+5 THEN, it is considered a FORMULA by Excel and Excel
displays the RESULT instead of the formula. One difference to this, is if
the cell is pre-formatted as TEXT, then the formula will read as just
another string of text. When this happens, the cell must be converted back
to GENERAL or a NUMBER-type format in order for the "formula" to be
re-instated as a formula.

hth
Vaya con Dios,
Chuck, CABGx3
 
News Groups said:
Hi. Using Excel 2003 with XP Pro.
I'd like to enter numbers without having to enter the plus sign (+) first.
When I enter "5+5" it treats it as text instead of giving me the total (10).
Any way to change this default?
TIA
John
Click to expand...

Tools-Options-Transition and check the "Transition formula entry" box - that
will do what you want.
I agree with you - WHY Excel treats "5+5" (without the quotes) as "text" is
beyond me, as it is designed to be a NUMBER crunching tool, not a TEXT
crunching tool!
 
Thanks, Gordon. Exactly what I was looking for!

Gordon said:
Tools-Options-Transition and check the "Transition formula entry" box - that
will do what you want.
I agree with you - WHY Excel treats "5+5" (without the quotes) as "text" is
beyond me, as it is designed to be a NUMBER crunching tool, not a TEXT
crunching tool!
Click to expand...
 
Back
Top