Unnecessary conversion
 

Hi All,

I have a normal XL file generated by an application as output. There are
cells in it containing decimal numbers stored as text, e.g. "5.2".
When Opening this file XL converts strings recognizable as a date to dates,
like 2007/5/2.
What can I do to keep the original string "5.2" or convert it to a real
decimal number?

Regards,
Stefi

Unnecessary conversion
 

In your example, you could add the formula:

=MONTH(A1)+DAY(A1)/10

to another cell, assuming the date is in A1. However, if you have a
mixture of dates and strings/numbers, it might be better to do
something like:

=IF(A135000,MONTH(A1)+DAY(A1)/10,VALUE(A1))

and format the cell as General, then copy this down the column. If the
"number" has been converted to a date, then it is likely to be larger
than 35000 (if a recent date), so it converts it as above, if not then
it just turns it into a number.

Hope this helps.

Pete

Stefi wrote:

Hi All,

I have a normal XL file generated by an application as output. There are
cells in it containing decimal numbers stored as text, e.g. "5.2".
When Opening this file XL converts strings recognizable as a date to dates,
like 2007/5/2.
What can I do to keep the original string "5.2" or convert it to a real
decimal number?

Regards,
Stefi

Unnecessary conversion
 

Thanks Pete,

I thought of this way, but hoped there is a simpler way! If there is no one,
I'll try something like that!

Regards,
Stefi

€žPete_UK€� ezt Ã*rta:

In your example, you could add the formula:

=MONTH(A1)+DAY(A1)/10

to another cell, assuming the date is in A1. However, if you have a
mixture of dates and strings/numbers, it might be better to do
something like:

=IF(A135000,MONTH(A1)+DAY(A1)/10,VALUE(A1))

and format the cell as General, then copy this down the column. If the
"number" has been converted to a date, then it is likely to be larger
than 35000 (if a recent date), so it converts it as above, if not then
it just turns it into a number.

Hope this helps.

Pete

Stefi wrote:

Hi All,

I have a normal XL file generated by an application as output. There are
cells in it containing decimal numbers stored as text, e.g. "5.2".
When Opening this file XL converts strings recognizable as a date to dates,
like 2007/5/2.
What can I do to keep the original string "5.2" or convert it to a real
decimal number?

Regards,
Stefi