difficulty changing cell format
 

I have pulled information from another application into an Excel spreadsheet.
The date column is in a format that I don't like & I would like to change it,
but I am having difficulty doing it. I have highlighted the column, and when
that didn't work, a single cell, and chosen a date format. The numbers in the
column don't even budge.

My guess would be that the data imported as text instead of a number, and the
date formats only work on numbers. In a separate column, try turning the
information back into numbers by using =VALUE(A1) or =A1*1, then formatting
the way you want. You can then copy and paste special...values over the
orignal data and delete the formula column.

"samsmimi" wrote:

I have pulled information from another application into an Excel spreadsheet.
The date column is in a format that I don't like & I would like to change it,
but I am having difficulty doing it. I have highlighted the column, and when
that didn't work, a single cell, and chosen a date format. The numbers in the
column don't even budge.

Thanks so much for your help!

"Jane" wrote:

My guess would be that the data imported as text instead of a number, and the
date formats only work on numbers. In a separate column, try turning the
information back into numbers by using =VALUE(A1) or =A1*1, then formatting
the way you want. You can then copy and paste special...values over the
orignal data and delete the formula column.

"samsmimi" wrote:

I have pulled information from another application into an Excel spreadsheet.
The date column is in a format that I don't like & I would like to change it,
but I am having difficulty doing it. I have highlighted the column, and when
that didn't work, a single cell, and chosen a date format. The numbers in the
column don't even budge.

Well, evidently I am doing something wrong- I am not getting this to work.

"samsmimi" wrote:

I have pulled information from another application into an Excel spreadsheet.
The date column is in a format that I don't like & I would like to change it,
but I am having difficulty doing it. I have highlighted the column, and when
that didn't work, a single cell, and chosen a date format. The numbers in the
column don't even budge.

Select the column of "dates" then DataText to Columns.

NextNext then "column data format". Pick "Date" and enter YMD or DMY or
whatever you think is best.

Finish.

Should be able to format now.


Gord Dibben Excel MVP

On Thu, 31 Mar 2005 08:17:02 -0800, "samsmimi"
wrote:

Well, evidently I am doing something wrong- I am not getting this to work.

"samsmimi" wrote:

I have pulled information from another application into an Excel spreadsheet.
The date column is in a format that I don't like & I would like to change it,
but I am having difficulty doing it. I have highlighted the column, and when
that didn't work, a single cell, and chosen a date format. The numbers in the
column don't even budge.