Excel can't add correctly?

[dean]

I have a spreadsheet in 2000, most likely originally created in 97. It would not add a column of numbers properly using the sum formula. It also would not add when adding two cells or when highlighting a column of cells. Certain cells simply weren't being acted upon. I did verify that all cells were number format. I "fixed" this by retyping my numbers and everything seems to be fine. Has anyone else encountered this? Is there anything I should look out for? Should I scrap this workbook and start over? Thanks for your help. Dean

 

[Jay Petrulis]

On 2002-04-15 10:21, dean wrote:
I have a spreadsheet in 2000, most likely originally created in 97. It would not add a column of numbers properly using the sum formula. It also would not add when adding two cells or when highlighting a column of cells. Certain cells simply weren't being acted upon. I did verify that all cells were number format. I "fixed" this by retyping my numbers and everything seems to be fine. Has anyone else encountered this? Is there anything I should look out for? Should I scrap this workbook and start over? Thanks for your help. Dean

Hi Dean,

Possibly just a quirky thing.

In the future if you encounter this, do the following rather than retyping.

1. Select a blank cell and Edit>Copy (or however you like to copy)

2. Select the range of problem numbers

3. Tools>Edit>Paste Special
Paste: Values
Operation: Add
Hit OK.

You should be fine after that, with a lot less rekeying.

Bye,
Jay

 

[dean]

Thanks. Didn't know if copy/paste would work. I just figured out how the numbers were being input. They were pasted in from a telnet app called "Hummingbird". Excel shows the values, but just won't work with them! Dean