Hi Sophie,

The LEFT problem is new to me, but I've had many a wasted hour trying
to work out what's wrong with the DATE function.

Quite an odd resolution too (the following was true for Office 97 and
2000, and may be the same in 2003): If you have a Microsoft Office
CD, and choose just to install Access (I know this is an Excel
question, but the function relates to Access apparently...), the
program libraries containing this function doesn't get installed.

BUT...

If you choose to install EVERYTHING, then go through the list and
manually say "Actually, no, I don't want to install this" until Access
is the only thing left (eg it looks on screen to be an identical
installation as in the first case), the installation DOES put the
libraries in the correct location.

In any case, this should sort your DATE problem, and may fix the LEFT
problem as well, but I can't be sure. You need two files, GRID32.OCX
and MSFLXGRD.OCX - stick them in your Windows\System32 folder. The
DATE function should work once these are in place. If LEFT still
causes you problems, try to get hold of your IT support people and
insist on them installing every single MS Office application to run
locally, even those that you don't use - the LEFT function definetely
exists in 2003, so I'm guessing that a library is missing.

Hope this helps,

Clayton.