quick question

[Fady]

Hello,

I would like to know guys how to stop excel from automatically converting my
numbers into dates. I type "2-3" in a cell, and whenever I hit enter or next,
I found it changed to 2-3 February. How can I stop that?

Thanks for yoru help

 

[Gord Dibben]

Precede the 2-3 with an apsostrophe or pre-format the cells as Text before
entering 2-3

I find the apostrophe method is consistent and no chance of re-formatting and F2
+ ENTER which would change them into dates.


Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP

 

[joeu2004]

I would like to know guys how to stop excel from automatically
converting my numbers into dates. I type "2-3" in a cell, and
whenever I hit enter or next, I found it changed to 2-3 February.
How can I stop that?

The surest way: type an apostrophe (') before the text. For example,
'2-3.

Alternatively, you can format the cell as Text. But you must do that
before you enter anything into the cell. Easiest way to do that:
format the entire column as Text. (Click on A, then right click and
select Format Cells.)

 

[T. Valko]

Either:

Pre-format the cell as TEXT

Precede the entry with an apostrophe (which will not be displayed in the
cell): '2-3

 

[Tyro]

2-3 is a date to Excel. An Excel primer might help you.

Tyro

 

[FARAZ QURESHI]

How about simply adding a space before 2-3

 

[Fady]

thanks Faraz, but putting a space may constitute a problem with the
alignment issue, specially if you have a spreadsheet with lots of rows. But
thanks for your reply anyway.

 

[Fady]

Thanks

Precede the 2-3 with an apsostrophe or pre-format the cells as Text before
entering 2-3

I find the apostrophe method is consistent and no chance of re-formatting and F2
+ ENTER which would change them into dates.


Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP