what does #### mean in excel
 

When I try to type the date on an existing spread sheet I get #####

what does #### mean in excel
 

Julian, try and make the column wider
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Paul B
Always backup your data before trying something new
Please post any response to the newsgroups so others can benefit from it
Feedback on answers is always appreciated!
Using Excel 2002 & 2003

"Julian" wrote in message
...
When I try to type the date on an existing spread sheet I get #####

what does #### mean in excel
 

Try widening the column. Select the column, and then in the heading, move
across to the right until the cursor changes to a black cross, then
left-click drag it across to make it wider.

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HTH

Bob

(change the xxxx to gmail if mailing direct)


"Julian" wrote in message
...
When I try to type the date on an existing spread sheet I get #####

what does #### mean in excel
 

It could mean a few things.

1. The columnwidth is too narrow to show the number.

Widen the column or change the font size of that cell. Or change the
numberformat to General.

2. You have a date/time in that cell and it's negative

Don't use negative dates. If excel was helping you, it may have
changed the format to a date. Change it back to General (or some
other number format).

If you need to see negative date/times:
Tools|options|Calculation Tab|and check 1904 date system
(but this can cause trouble--watch what happens to your dates
and watch what happens when you copy|paste dates to a different
workbook that doesn't use this setting)

3. You have a lot of text in the cell, the cell is formatted as Text.

Format the cell as general.

4. You really have ###'s in that cell.

Clean up that cell.

5. You have # in a cell, but it's format is set to Fill.

Change the format
(format|cells|alignment tab|horizontal box, change it to General.

Julian wrote:

When I try to type the date on an existing spread sheet I get #####

--

Dave Peterson