HELP!! My spreadsheet dates are messed up!

sdunn4520 · Apr 11th, 2002, 01:47 PM

I don't have alot of experience with Excel, but my boss is having me prepare a spreadsheet consisting of a list of documents that are numbered and dated.

When I saved my document and exited out of Excel to check something in another program, when I came back, my dates had been converted to numbers.
Example: 12/28/93 is now 34331!!!

I can double click the number and get the date, but when I leave the cell, it converts back to the number again! What have I done?! He wants this document done by 5:00 p.m. and I'm only 1/2 way through!

Yogi Anand · Apr 11th, 2002, 01:51 PM

Format the cell where you have a number representing a date with FORMAT|CELLS|NUMBER|DATE and choose one of the various options to represent date!

Mark W. · Apr 11th, 2002, 01:53 PM

Choose the Tools | Options... menu command and uncheck the "Formula" Window options check box on the View tab

Yogi Anand · Apr 11th, 2002, 02:05 PM

Good point Mark! --
If his sheet has some how been set to show Formulas, formatting any cells will not help.

Regards!

EdE · Apr 11th, 2002, 03:22 PM

Another way to change back instead of using the tools menu is ctrl+~. I find a lot of users are trying to use keyboard shortcuts and inadvertantly hit keys. Doh!!!

Apr 11th, 2002, 01:51 PM	#2
Yogi Anand MrExcel MVP Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Michigan USA Posts: 11,452	Format the cell where you have a number representing a date with FORMAT\|CELLS\|NUMBER\|DATE and choose one of the various options to represent date! __________________ Regards! Yogi Anand, D.Eng, P.E. Energy Efficient Building Network LLC www.energyefficientbuild.com

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Apr 11th, 2002, 01:47 PM	#1
sdunn4520 New Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Posts: 1	I don't have alot of experience with Excel, but my boss is having me prepare a spreadsheet consisting of a list of documents that are numbered and dated. When I saved my document and exited out of Excel to check something in another program, when I came back, my dates had been converted to numbers. Example: 12/28/93 is now 34331!!! I can double click the number and get the date, but when I leave the cell, it converts back to the number again! What have I done?! He wants this document done by 5:00 p.m. and I'm only 1/2 way through!

Apr 11th, 2002, 01:53 PM	#3
Mark W. MrExcel MVP Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Austin, Texas USA Posts: 11,654	Choose the Tools \| Options... menu command and uncheck the "Formula" Window options check box on the View tab

Apr 11th, 2002, 02:05 PM	#4
Yogi Anand MrExcel MVP Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Michigan USA Posts: 11,452	Good point Mark! -- If his sheet has some how been set to show Formulas, formatting any cells will not help. Regards!

Apr 11th, 2002, 03:22 PM	#5
EdE Board Regular Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: A Mile High!! Posts: 230	Another way to change back instead of using the tools menu is ctrl+~. I find a lot of users are trying to use keyboard shortcuts and inadvertantly hit keys. Doh!!!