The F2 tells excel that you want to edit the cell. Hitting enter tells excel
that you're done with the entry. You can do it this way for lots of cells, but
using the edit|replace technique tells excel that you want it to reevaluate your
entry.


Something changed the format of that cell--if it wasn't you, it was excel trying
to be helpful.

Saved from a previous post.

Excel likes to help.

Try this on a test worksheet.
Select A1 and hit ctrl-; (to put the date in the cell)
now select B1 and type: =a1

Notice that excel changed the format of B1 to match the format in A1.

Now format D1 as Text.
put ASDF in D1
put =D1 in E1
You see ASDF.

With E1 selected, hit the F2 key and then enter (to pretend that you're changing
the formula).

Excel has "helped" you by changing that cell's format to text.

I don't know of any way of changing this behavior.

I just select the cell, and reformat it to General (or whatever I wanted). I
hit F2 and then enter (to reenter that formula).

Sometimes this feature is nice, sometimes it ain't.



Victor Delta wrote:

"Dave Peterson" wrote in message
...
If you're seeing the formula in just a few cells, try:

Select the cell
format it as general (or anything but text)
Hit F2 and then enter.

If you have lots of cells, select the range of offending cells
Format them all as General (or anything but text)
edit|replace
what: = (equal sign)
with: =
replace all

Biff and Dave

Many thanks - you are stars! Your suggestions sorted the problem pronto!

Although, having never had this problem before, I'd be interested to know
what I did wrong this time and how your F2 solution works.

Thanks again,

V

--

Dave Peterson