green triangles disallowing number formatting

[kimbo]

I imported a data file from Crystal Reports (i.e., a database query program) into Excel. I am attempting to put a common number format (i.e., “zero decimal places”) in all of the cells in "Column D." Henceforth in this message, I will refer only to the cells in "Column D" of the Excel file.

I highlighted the column and tried to put in the number formatting. However, some of the cells did not “take” it; they kept two decimal places. Those same cells have green triangles in the upper left corner. In other words, all of the cells took the number formatting except those with the green triangles.

What are those green triangles? Are they preventing the number formatting from being changed?

 

[Zack Barresse]

that's excels error checker - the green triangle. it's just saying that you have what excel see's as an error, and should give you a remedy upon activation of the cell.

 

[TommyGun]

Firefytr is correct about the green triangles. They are XL's error tracking info.

The errors (in this case) show that you have text that appears to be numbers, but it is not.

There are various methods to correct this, but the easiest (IMHO) is to select the column and goto Data|Text to Columns. Click Finish on the dialog, and this should convert your text to numbers.

 

[kimbo]

Thanks, guys. Problem solved. -- Kimbo