*PRE*-format the cells as text.
That means *before* you enter your numbers.

When XL looks at numeric and general formatted cells that contain numbers,
it's preparing for calculation, therefore the warnings that you're getting
saying that something is not right.
--
HTH,

RD

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"Nospam" wrote in message
...
Oh--he said sheepishly. What about the formatting? Thanks. --Arthur

"JoAnn Paules [MVP]" wrote in message
...
##### means your column isn't wide enough for the data. ;-)

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

~~~~~
How to ask a question
http://support.microsoft.com/KB/555375




"Nospam" wrote in message
. ..
I'm using Excel 2002. I've created a spreadsheet of my weightlifting
workouts--dates, exercises, and in the cells, the number of sets I
perform with the number of repetitions. For instance, cells have
numbers
like 2-12, 2-9, 3-12, indicating two or three sets of 9 or 12
repetitions. The problem is that I'm formatting the cells as general,
but
I'm still getting a green triangle in the upper left cell corner, and
when I hold the cursor over the cell, the yellow exclamation point
appears, asking me if I want to ignore the formatting error. In some
cells that I think I've already formatted, my numbers turn to "###." I
want to enter the numbers as plain text with no other formatting. What
am
I doing wrong?

Also, what's the formatting difference between "general" and "text"
formatting?

Thanks. --Arthur