Are you sure your dates are formatted correctly? Check under Format - Cells
to make sure they are set to custom format mmmm dd, yyyy. When creating the
formula to calculate the date difference you only reference the top left cell
of the merged range, e.g. six cells merged across from A1 would not be
referenced as A1:F1 but just as A1 so you can use a formula something like
G1-A1 to work out the difference between the dates (don't forget to format
the result as a number).

Andrea Jones

"labatyd" wrote:

Have the date in the format of Month xx, 2006 in a set of six merged cells.
In another set of six merged cells I have a later date.

Is in not possible to extract the difference in days into a third set of
merged cells. Works fine and displays nicely if the dates are in single wide
cells but doesn't seem to work from merged cells. :-(

Eventually the sheet will contain about 50 counter readings which are taken
30 to 60 days apart. We need to have it calculate the interval in days and
the number of operations per day for each piece of equipment.

(I've used narrow column widths since lower down would be boxes where a
single digit or check mark can be placed to indicate levels or good or poor
status condition).

Is there a better way to layout out the spread sheet.

TIA