Converting MM/DD/YY dates to 5 Digit Serial Numbers

Josue Barocio · Mar 17th, 2002, 09:16 PM

I need to convert MM/DD/YY dates to their five digit serial number equivalents. The usual FORMAT | CELLS | NUMBER | GENERAL commands will not work. The dates convert just fine if I enter them manually.

Any help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

RichardS · Mar 17th, 2002, 09:27 PM

Josh

Were the dates imported from an external file? It may be possible that Excel is treating them as text. If this is the case, enter 1 in a cell, copy it, and paste special multiply. This will convcert the text to a number.

HTH

Richard

Dave Hawley · Mar 17th, 2002, 09:37 PM

Hi

As Richard said, they are probably Text. Copy a number 1 from any cell, select the dates the go to Edit>Paste special | multiply. Then format as General.

or just use:
=A1*1
where A1 holds the text date

Josue Barocio · Mar 17th, 2002, 10:02 PM

Josue Barocio · Mar 17th, 2002, 10:03 PM

Thanks guys. It works just like you said.

cuejay · Dec 10th, 2008, 01:17 PM

That was quite possibly the GREATEST tip ever written!

Dec 10th, 2008, 01:17 PM	#6
cuejay New Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Harrisburg, PA Posts: 4	Re: Converting MM/DD/YY dates to 5 Digit Serial Numbers That was quite possibly the GREATEST tip ever written!

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Mar 17th, 2002, 09:16 PM	#1
Josue Barocio Board Regular Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 101	I need to convert MM/DD/YY dates to their five digit serial number equivalents. The usual FORMAT \| CELLS \| NUMBER \| GENERAL commands will not work. The dates convert just fine if I enter them manually. Any help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Mar 17th, 2002, 09:27 PM	#2
RichardS Board Regular Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Victoria, Australia Posts: 761	Josh Were the dates imported from an external file? It may be possible that Excel is treating them as text. If this is the case, enter 1 in a cell, copy it, and paste special multiply. This will convcert the text to a number. HTH Richard

Mar 17th, 2002, 09:37 PM	#3
Dave Hawley Banned Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 1,582	Hi As Richard said, they are probably Text. Copy a number 1 from any cell, select the dates the go to Edit>Paste special \| multiply. Then format as General. or just use: =A1*1 where A1 holds the text date

Mar 17th, 2002, 10:02 PM	#4
Josue Barocio Board Regular Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 101

Mar 17th, 2002, 10:03 PM	#5
Josue Barocio Board Regular Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 101	Thanks guys. It works just like you said.