When you type a long string (not a number), excel will overlap into the adjacent
cell. But numbers don't work that way.

So either that cell has been preformatted as Text or you're starting your entry
with an apostrophe (or you're not typing a number).

But I don't understand what you're want excel to do--and what you're typing into
that cell.



catlady wrote:

When I enter a long number, it overlaps into the next cell. However, I do
not get the # sign. Instead, a type of formula appears. For example if I
entered 22222222222222 (14 2's), what appears is 2.22222E+14. Why does it do
this? Or, if I select that column, right click then choose Format Cells and
change to Number Format, the cell width automatically adjusts itself. Is
there somewhere in Excel Options I can change this? What am I doing wrong?

--

Dave Peterson