paste special multiply by 1

[JeffP]

HI all,
Sorta newbie but I've run into this before. When importing
a file numbers come through as text(or something) and must
be copy/pastespecial/ yadda,yadda.
I've searched and searched and can't find the explaination
here.

I hope you can direct me.
Thanks,
jeffP

 

[Andy B]

Hi

One way is to copy a blank unused cell. Select your range and Paste Special
.. . Add.
This coerces the text to become numbers by tricking Excel into adding zero
to them.

 

[Guest]

Andy,
Thanks. that worked better than the multiply. My problem
was my format has two empty (maybe) rows between info.
When I copied a cell with the value 1 in it, then
paste/special/multiply all the empty rows would receive a
value of 0 (zero). Using an empty cell an add has cured
that.
But I would still like to understand why. Does anyone
explain it here (I searched and searched) or anywhere?

thanks again,
jeffP