I have a problem with "LEFT" formula
 

I was trying to use LEFT to extract the first 4 digits. I used =Left(A1,4).
It gave me 2210 for A1. However, when i drag it down to A5, it gave me every
result as 2210. What is the problem? Thanks.

2210 - Airfare/Rail
2220 - Lodging
2230 - Ground Transportation
2240 - Meals
2250 - Entertainment

I have a problem with "LEFT" formula
 

Hi
Take a look at ToolsOptionsCalculation and ensure it is set to
Automatic

--
Regards

Roger Govier


"a-frustrated-excel-user"
wrote in message
...
I was trying to use LEFT to extract the first 4 digits. I used
=Left(A1,4).
It gave me 2210 for A1. However, when i drag it down to A5, it gave
me every
result as 2210. What is the problem? Thanks.

2210 - Airfare/Rail
2220 - Lodging
2230 - Ground Transportation
2240 - Meals
2250 - Entertainment

I have a problem with "LEFT" formula
 

You are genius... follow on question, What difference does it make to set it
to Automatic ?



"Roger Govier" wrote:

Hi
Take a look at ToolsOptionsCalculation and ensure it is set to
Automatic

--
Regards

Roger Govier


"a-frustrated-excel-user"
wrote in message
...
I was trying to use LEFT to extract the first 4 digits. I used
=Left(A1,4).
It gave me 2210 for A1. However, when i drag it down to A5, it gave
me every
result as 2210. What is the problem? Thanks.

2210 - Airfare/Rail
2220 - Lodging
2230 - Ground Transportation
2240 - Meals
2250 - Entertainment

I have a problem with "LEFT" formula
 

With calculation set to automatic, then any cell affected by any change will be
recaculated without you doing anything (except for waiting).

If you have a giant workbook with lots of calculations that take a long time to
recalculate, then you may want to turn calculation to manual. Then you can make
your changes without having to wait for that long time.

But before you trust what's displayed, you'll want to force a recalculation --
or even turn calculation to automatic.

a-frustrated-excel-user wrote:

You are genius... follow on question, What difference does it make to set it
to Automatic ?

"Roger Govier" wrote:

Hi
Take a look at ToolsOptionsCalculation and ensure it is set to
Automatic

--
Regards

Roger Govier


"a-frustrated-excel-user"
wrote in message
...
I was trying to use LEFT to extract the first 4 digits. I used
=Left(A1,4).
It gave me 2210 for A1. However, when i drag it down to A5, it gave
me every
result as 2210. What is the problem? Thanks.

2210 - Airfare/Rail
2220 - Lodging
2230 - Ground Transportation
2240 - Meals
2250 - Entertainment





--

Dave Peterson

I have a problem with "LEFT" formula
 

Thank you for your answer. Relating to my initial problem, what did i do
wrong?




"Dave Peterson" wrote:

With calculation set to automatic, then any cell affected by any change will be
recaculated without you doing anything (except for waiting).

If you have a giant workbook with lots of calculations that take a long time to
recalculate, then you may want to turn calculation to manual. Then you can make
your changes without having to wait for that long time.

But before you trust what's displayed, you'll want to force a recalculation --
or even turn calculation to automatic.

a-frustrated-excel-user wrote:

You are genius... follow on question, What difference does it make to set it
to Automatic ?

"Roger Govier" wrote:

Hi
Take a look at ToolsOptionsCalculation and ensure it is set to
Automatic

--
Regards

Roger Govier


"a-frustrated-excel-user"
wrote in message
...
I was trying to use LEFT to extract the first 4 digits. I used
=Left(A1,4).
It gave me 2210 for A1. However, when i drag it down to A5, it gave
me every
result as 2210. What is the problem? Thanks.

2210 - Airfare/Rail
2220 - Lodging
2230 - Ground Transportation
2240 - Meals
2250 - Entertainment





--

Dave Peterson

I have a problem with "LEFT" formula
 

Hi

It may have been that the first file you loaded in Excel had been saved
with Calculation set to Manual.
Excel will follow the setting of the first file opened.
As Dave has said, unless you have a lot of formulae within a very big
sheet, you are best to change the setting to automatic and then save the
file in that state.

--
Regards

Roger Govier


"a-frustrated-excel-user"
wrote in message
...
Thank you for your answer. Relating to my initial problem, what did i
do
wrong?




"Dave Peterson" wrote:

With calculation set to automatic, then any cell affected by any
change will be
recaculated without you doing anything (except for waiting).

If you have a giant workbook with lots of calculations that take a
long time to
recalculate, then you may want to turn calculation to manual. Then
you can make
your changes without having to wait for that long time.

But before you trust what's displayed, you'll want to force a
recalculation --
or even turn calculation to automatic.

a-frustrated-excel-user wrote:

You are genius... follow on question, What difference does it make
to set it
to Automatic ?

"Roger Govier" wrote:

Hi
Take a look at ToolsOptionsCalculation and ensure it is set to
Automatic

--
Regards

Roger Govier


"a-frustrated-excel-user"
wrote in
message
...
I was trying to use LEFT to extract the first 4 digits. I used
=Left(A1,4).
It gave me 2210 for A1. However, when i drag it down to A5, it
gave
me every
result as 2210. What is the problem? Thanks.

2210 - Airfare/Rail
2220 - Lodging
2230 - Ground Transportation
2240 - Meals
2250 - Entertainment





--

Dave Peterson

I have a problem with "LEFT" formula
 

Not fulling understood, but truly thanks.




"Roger Govier" wrote:

Hi

It may have been that the first file you loaded in Excel had been saved
with Calculation set to Manual.
Excel will follow the setting of the first file opened.
As Dave has said, unless you have a lot of formulae within a very big
sheet, you are best to change the setting to automatic and then save the
file in that state.

--
Regards

Roger Govier


"a-frustrated-excel-user"
wrote in message
...
Thank you for your answer. Relating to my initial problem, what did i
do
wrong?




"Dave Peterson" wrote:

With calculation set to automatic, then any cell affected by any
change will be
recaculated without you doing anything (except for waiting).

If you have a giant workbook with lots of calculations that take a
long time to
recalculate, then you may want to turn calculation to manual. Then
you can make
your changes without having to wait for that long time.

But before you trust what's displayed, you'll want to force a
recalculation --
or even turn calculation to automatic.

a-frustrated-excel-user wrote:

You are genius... follow on question, What difference does it make
to set it
to Automatic ?

"Roger Govier" wrote:

Hi
Take a look at ToolsOptionsCalculation and ensure it is set to
Automatic

--
Regards

Roger Govier


"a-frustrated-excel-user"
wrote in
message
...
I was trying to use LEFT to extract the first 4 digits. I used
=Left(A1,4).
It gave me 2210 for A1. However, when i drag it down to A5, it
gave
me every
result as 2210. What is the problem? Thanks.

2210 - Airfare/Rail
2220 - Lodging
2230 - Ground Transportation
2240 - Meals
2250 - Entertainment





--

Dave Peterson

I have a problem with "LEFT" formula
 

If calculation is not set to automatic, then it is set to manual
recalculation, which means you have to instruct Excel to perform calculations
(get functions to work). Since Roger's suggestion to turn automatic
calculation on fixed your problem, it would seem that your Excel was set to
manual calculation. As Roger explained, one reason that Excel could have
been set to manual calculation is because another Excel workbook was opened
which had been set to manual calculation.

Does that make sense?

Dave
--
Brevity is the soul of wit.


"a-frustrated-excel-user" wrote:

Not fulling understood, but truly thanks.




"Roger Govier" wrote:

Hi

It may have been that the first file you loaded in Excel had been saved
with Calculation set to Manual.
Excel will follow the setting of the first file opened.
As Dave has said, unless you have a lot of formulae within a very big
sheet, you are best to change the setting to automatic and then save the
file in that state.

--
Regards

Roger Govier


"a-frustrated-excel-user"
wrote in message
...
Thank you for your answer. Relating to my initial problem, what did i
do
wrong?




"Dave Peterson" wrote:

With calculation set to automatic, then any cell affected by any
change will be
recaculated without you doing anything (except for waiting).

If you have a giant workbook with lots of calculations that take a
long time to
recalculate, then you may want to turn calculation to manual. Then
you can make
your changes without having to wait for that long time.

But before you trust what's displayed, you'll want to force a
recalculation --
or even turn calculation to automatic.

a-frustrated-excel-user wrote:

You are genius... follow on question, What difference does it make
to set it
to Automatic ?

"Roger Govier" wrote:

Hi
Take a look at ToolsOptionsCalculation and ensure it is set to
Automatic

--
Regards

Roger Govier


"a-frustrated-excel-user"
wrote in
message
...
I was trying to use LEFT to extract the first 4 digits. I used
=Left(A1,4).
It gave me 2210 for A1. However, when i drag it down to A5, it
gave
me every
result as 2210. What is the problem? Thanks.

2210 - Airfare/Rail
2220 - Lodging
2230 - Ground Transportation
2240 - Meals
2250 - Entertainment





--

Dave Peterson

I have a problem with "LEFT" formula
 

Thanks for your kind answer.

"Dave F" wrote:

If calculation is not set to automatic, then it is set to manual
recalculation, which means you have to instruct Excel to perform calculations
(get functions to work). Since Roger's suggestion to turn automatic
calculation on fixed your problem, it would seem that your Excel was set to
manual calculation. As Roger explained, one reason that Excel could have
been set to manual calculation is because another Excel workbook was opened
which had been set to manual calculation.

Does that make sense?

Dave
--
Brevity is the soul of wit.


"a-frustrated-excel-user" wrote:

Not fulling understood, but truly thanks.




"Roger Govier" wrote:

Hi

It may have been that the first file you loaded in Excel had been saved
with Calculation set to Manual.
Excel will follow the setting of the first file opened.
As Dave has said, unless you have a lot of formulae within a very big
sheet, you are best to change the setting to automatic and then save the
file in that state.

--
Regards

Roger Govier


"a-frustrated-excel-user"
wrote in message
...
Thank you for your answer. Relating to my initial problem, what did i
do
wrong?




"Dave Peterson" wrote:

With calculation set to automatic, then any cell affected by any
change will be
recaculated without you doing anything (except for waiting).

If you have a giant workbook with lots of calculations that take a
long time to
recalculate, then you may want to turn calculation to manual. Then
you can make
your changes without having to wait for that long time.

But before you trust what's displayed, you'll want to force a
recalculation --
or even turn calculation to automatic.

a-frustrated-excel-user wrote:

You are genius... follow on question, What difference does it make
to set it
to Automatic ?

"Roger Govier" wrote:

Hi
Take a look at ToolsOptionsCalculation and ensure it is set to
Automatic

--
Regards

Roger Govier


"a-frustrated-excel-user"
wrote in
message
...
I was trying to use LEFT to extract the first 4 digits. I used
=Left(A1,4).
It gave me 2210 for A1. However, when i drag it down to A5, it
gave
me every
result as 2210. What is the problem? Thanks.

2210 - Airfare/Rail
2220 - Lodging
2230 - Ground Transportation
2240 - Meals
2250 - Entertainment





--

Dave Peterson