Can't change number format

I have a column of phone numbers. If I select the column and go to Format Cells / Number and choose the number format under "Special" called "Phone Number", the cells do not change format. If I click in a cell once, THEN do the format change, it takes effect on that cell only. Why? Do I have to click once in ALL these cells to change their format?

Thanks.

[Paul B]

Were the phone number imported into excel? I have run in to this problem before, unfortunately I don’t know how to fix it, hopefully someone does

[Mark W.]

On 2002-03-13 10:37, Anonymous wrote:
I have a column of phone numbers. If I select the column and go to Format Cells / Number and choose the number format under "Special" called "Phone Number", the cells do not change format. If I click in a cell once, THEN do the format change, it takes effect on that cell only. Why? Do I have to click once in ALL these cells to change their format?

Thanks.

Your values were imported as text values. To convert them to numbers, select them, choose the Data | Text to Columns... menu command, and press [ Finish ].

[Gemini32]

Originally Posted by Anonymous

I have a column of phone numbers. If I select the column and go to Format Cells / Number and choose the number format under "Special" called "Phone Number", the cells do not change format. If I click in a cell once, THEN do the format change, it takes effect on that cell only. Why? Do I have to click once in ALL these cells to change their format?

Thanks.

Hi Mark W.

I was having the same problem I do believe my problem maybe fixed and it could work for you


Step 1 - Highlight the cells that you want as the phone number formula

******Note*****
this is what I want wanted mine to do automatically

(###)###-#### In place of the # symbol I wanted to have my phone numbers well here it goes...

Step 2 - right click and choose format cell(s)

Step 3 - Click on the Number tab, then click on the category SPECIAL and choose PHONE NUMBER

Step 4 - In the Number Tab - click Custom and choose the one that looks
like this
[<=9999999]###-####;(###) ###-####

then click ok button.


Here's the trick I figure out, when in the desinated cell(s) in excel just type the phone number ( none of the brackets or dashes) when you typed the last number put a decimal point at the very end and tell me what you see....


This what I got back


(555)555-5555

Exactly what I was looking for and I did a whole column with steps I told you and in every cell my phone numbers looked right...



A Very happy camper now....

Gemini32

Hope this helps you with you phone number trouble...