Automatically converting to Text formatting

teebruin

New Member
Joined
Mar 28, 2002
Messages
38
Is there a way to prevent this? On my computer at work, whenever Excel thinks that your data should be Text, it adds an apostrophe to the beginning of the cell, causing it to be seen as text no matter what type of formatting you actually select for it. So, if I need a column to be numbers, I basically have to insert a new cell, use the VALUE function and copy paste values.

I need to know if there is something I can do to prevent Excel from trying to guess what data type I want and stop putting the apostrophe at the beginning of the line?
 

Excel Facts

Can a formula spear through sheets?
Use =SUM(January:December!E7) to sum E7 on all of the sheets from January through December
are you importing from a text file? if so the import mechanism should allow you to specify the data types.
 
Upvote 0
No, that's what's weird to me. If I type something on a line it looks normal. But if I go to another cell and come back to the cell I typed in, the apostrophe is there. I have never encountered this on my Excel at home or at any other job. That's why I thought that it was some sort of option, but I can't figure out what.
 
Upvote 0
It's probably a combination of factors...

1. Choose the Tools | Options... menu command and uncheck the "Transition navigation keys" setting on the Transition tab.

2. Change the cell(s) or column formatting to something other than Text (such as General).

Also, once you made these changes there's an easier way to convert your values back to numbers. Just select 'em, choose the Data | Text to Columns... menu command, and press [ Finish ].
This message was edited by Mark W. on 2002-04-04 15:21
 
Upvote 0

Forum statistics

Threads
1,213,522
Messages
6,114,112
Members
448,549
Latest member
brianhfield

We've detected that you are using an adblocker.

We have a great community of people providing Excel help here, but the hosting costs are enormous. You can help keep this site running by allowing ads on MrExcel.com.
Allow Ads at MrExcel

Which adblocker are you using?

Disable AdBlock

Follow these easy steps to disable AdBlock

1)Click on the icon in the browser’s toolbar.
2)Click on the icon in the browser’s toolbar.
2)Click on the "Pause on this site" option.
Go back

Disable AdBlock Plus

Follow these easy steps to disable AdBlock Plus

1)Click on the icon in the browser’s toolbar.
2)Click on the toggle to disable it for "mrexcel.com".
Go back

Disable uBlock Origin

Follow these easy steps to disable uBlock Origin

1)Click on the icon in the browser’s toolbar.
2)Click on the "Power" button.
3)Click on the "Refresh" button.
Go back

Disable uBlock

Follow these easy steps to disable uBlock

1)Click on the icon in the browser’s toolbar.
2)Click on the "Power" button.
3)Click on the "Refresh" button.
Go back
Back
Top