This helper column is only temporary -- it's only there until you finish the
sort. You can delete it as soon as you sort all the data by this column.

If you do it lots of times, you may want to keep the column, but hide it so that
it's not confusing to the user (you???).

If you select the cell with the date and see the real date in the formula bar,
then reformat the cell to display the date in the way you like.

pete5440 wrote:

Dave I appreciate the tips but this isn't happening. I'm using Excel 2007 and
never had issues like this in previous versions. Somehow I have managed to
changed my first date from 1/1 to1-Jan in playing with this and I can't
change it back. I have added a 'blank' helper column (C) and if enter the
formula, =text(b3,"mmdd") and pull this down it will change my dates from
xx/xx to xxxx without the "/" separating the month and day. I need the xx/xx
format.

"Dave Peterson" wrote:

This helper column of formulas doesn't replace the original data. You can
either use an unused column or insert an empty column (usually adjacent near the
original data).

So if you put the dates in column A, then you could use column B to hold the
formula:
=text(a2,"mmdd")

If there is no autofill button/grab handle, try toggling this setting:

Tools|Options|Edit tab|Check the "Allow cell drag and drop" box.
(xl2003 menus)

pete5440 wrote:

Here's the formula: =TEXT(B2,"mmdd"). The b2 cell is highlighted in yellow
but no 'grab handle' to pull it down the column. Dates are changed from 1/1,
1/9 etc. to 1/0 with this formula. I'm also getting a "circular warning" at
times and when I click on circular references it shows $B$2. I'm really
stumped and never seemed to have problems in prior versions of Excel.

"Dave Peterson" wrote:

What happend when you used the =text() formula?

What was in B2?



pete5440 wrote:

Re the Helper Column(s). Am I just to copy everything to another column (B)
and set up a formula there? Mike, with the 2-column approach does this mean
I'll have three columns to handle my dates and I'll need to use all three to
sort (sorry, I'm confused)? In trying to let the help function of excel guide
me, and posting this same inquiry in the excel worksheet thread, the question
about "text" came up. I'm looking for the easiest (isn't everyone) way to do
this. I tried the =text(b2,"mmdd") but it didn't work.

"pete5440" wrote:

I have a worksheet with one column being dates in the format of 3/2, 4/25,
12/10, etc. As I added dates I could always sort from lowest (1/1) to highest
(12/31). Now I can't seem to sort any dates that have been added in 2009. I
do not have a year attached to these dates as they are birthdays and I need
to sort by month/day regardless of year. If I highlight A2 (A1 is my column
heading) the formula box shows 1/1/2008. I have never set up the year and
there is no formula set up as I have only ever added the month/day. This is
Excel 2007. How do I fix?


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Dave Peterson


--

Dave Peterson


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Dave Peterson