Typing the date into Excel

[Seamus Moran]

Hi, and thanks in advance.
I've recently updated from Excel 2003 to Excel 2007. I'm having a problem
with entering dates:
(1) I enter a date, say: 5/17/2009 or 5-17-2009
(2) The cell displays 0.000146 or -2021.
(3) I format the cells as "date".
(4) The cell displays as 1900/01/00 or ##### (indefinite)
(5) The formula bar displays =5/17/2009 or =5-17-2009
(6) It doesn't matter if I format the cells as dates in advance or after
entering the date.

I'm guessing that there is a setup option somewhere that is wrong, but I
can't find it. The documentation, and my experience with earlier editions of
Excel, suggest that Excel will recognize the date when entered like this.

And advice or help appreciated.
Thank you
Seamus

 

[David Heaton]

Hi, and thanks in advance.
I've recently updated from Excel 2003 to Excel 2007.  I'm having a problem
with entering dates:
(1) I enter a date, say: 5/17/2009 or 5-17-2009
(2) The cell displays 0.000146 or -2021.
(3) I format the cells as "date".
(4) The cell displays as 1900/01/00 or ##### (indefinite)
(5) The formula bar displays =5/17/2009 or =5-17-2009
(6) It doesn't matter if I format the cells as dates in advance or after
entering the date.

I'm guessing that there is a setup option somewhere that is wrong, but I
can't find it.  The documentation, and my experience with earlier editions of
Excel, suggest that Excel will recognize the date when entered like this.

And advice or help appreciated.
Thank you
Seamus

are you typing in =5/17/2009 ? or leaving out the = ?

=5/17/2009 does equal 0.000146 .

I've never known excel to put an = in automically, even in 2007

sorry i cant help further

Regards

David

 

[David Heaton]

Hi, and thanks in advance.
I've recently updated from Excel 2003 to Excel 2007.  I'm having a problem
with entering dates:
(1) I enter a date, say: 5/17/2009 or 5-17-2009
(2) The cell displays 0.000146 or -2021.
(3) I format the cells as "date".
(4) The cell displays as 1900/01/00 or ##### (indefinite)
(5) The formula bar displays =5/17/2009 or =5-17-2009
(6) It doesn't matter if I format the cells as dates in advance or after
entering the date.

I'm guessing that there is a setup option somewhere that is wrong, but I
can't find it.  The documentation, and my experience with earlier editions of
Excel, suggest that Excel will recognize the date when entered like this.

And advice or help appreciated.
Thank you
Seamus

Seamus,

just found something in Excel 2003 menu options.
Its called 'Transition Formula Entry' and setting this on does indeed
add an = before a date entry.

I have no idea where you will find this option in 07, but it must be
somewhere

Regards

David

 

[Ron Rosenfeld]

Hi, and thanks in advance.
I've recently updated from Excel 2003 to Excel 2007. I'm having a problem
with entering dates:
(1) I enter a date, say: 5/17/2009 or 5-17-2009
(2) The cell displays 0.000146 or -2021.
(3) I format the cells as "date".
(4) The cell displays as 1900/01/00 or ##### (indefinite)
(5) The formula bar displays =5/17/2009 or =5-17-2009
(6) It doesn't matter if I format the cells as dates in advance or after
entering the date.

I'm guessing that there is a setup option somewhere that is wrong, but I
can't find it. The documentation, and my experience with earlier editions of
Excel, suggest that Excel will recognize the date when entered like this.

And advice or help appreciated.
Thank you
Seamus

Press the "Office" button (big button upper left corner) (opens a dialog box)

Excel Options (lower bar of that dialog box)
Advanced
Scroll down to Lotus Compatibility settings and DEselect the
Transition Formula options.
--ron

 

[Seamus Moran]

David, Ron:

Thank you very much. That was very helpful: the "=" has disappeared, and
the date appears as I type it; although it is in text form.

And, of course, to make it "intelligent", so that formulae work on it, et
cetera, I need to enter it the way I have my system options set, that is in
my case, 2009/05/17 (yyyy/mm/dd). (Gets my file lists sorted "right".)

Between both, I have a rich set of choices.

Again, thank you both.