Long # turns into a formula-How do I turn that off?
 

I have to enter the date in a certain way, yyyymmddhhmm.
I enter 200704301524 into a cell. I save the file in .csv. When I open the
file again, the # is changed to a formula, 2.00704E+11
How do I get it to not do that? I have tried saving it as a text, and it
still doesn't work.
Thanks,
Chris

Long # turns into a formula-How do I turn that off?
 

You're seeing scientific notation format. You could change the format to:

Format/Cells/Number/Custom 000000000000




In article ,
Chris wrote:

I have to enter the date in a certain way, yyyymmddhhmm.
I enter 200704301524 into a cell. I save the file in .csv. When I open the
file again, the # is changed to a formula, 2.00704E+11
How do I get it to not do that? I have tried saving it as a text, and it
still doesn't work.
Thanks,
Chris

Long # turns into a formula-How do I turn that off?
 

Put single quote first when you enter it as in
'200704301524


Chris wrote:

I have to enter the date in a certain way, yyyymmddhhmm.
I enter 200704301524 into a cell. I save the file in .csv. When I open the
file again, the # is changed to a formula, 2.00704E+11
How do I get it to not do that? I have tried saving it as a text, and it
still doesn't work.
Thanks,
Chris

Long # turns into a formula-How do I turn that off?
 

I do that, and save teh file. When I open the file again, it goes back to the
formula.

"JE McGimpsey" wrote:

You're seeing scientific notation format. You could change the format to:

Format/Cells/Number/Custom 000000000000




In article ,
Chris wrote:

I have to enter the date in a certain way, yyyymmddhhmm.
I enter 200704301524 into a cell. I save the file in .csv. When I open the
file again, the # is changed to a formula, 2.00704E+11
How do I get it to not do that? I have tried saving it as a text, and it
still doesn't work.
Thanks,
Chris

Long # turns into a formula-How do I turn that off?
 

I have done that too, and the same thing happens. I save the file. Close it
out, and when I reopen it, the formula is back.

"Bob I" wrote:

Put single quote first when you enter it as in
'200704301524


Chris wrote:

I have to enter the date in a certain way, yyyymmddhhmm.
I enter 200704301524 into a cell. I save the file in .csv. When I open the
file again, the # is changed to a formula, 2.00704E+11
How do I get it to not do that? I have tried saving it as a text, and it
still doesn't work.
Thanks,
Chris

Long # turns into a formula-How do I turn that off?
 

I'm sorry, missed the CSV and opening it as CSV. Enclose it in quotes.
'200704301524'

Chris wrote:

I have done that too, and the same thing happens. I save the file. Close it
out, and when I reopen it, the formula is back.

"Bob I" wrote:


Put single quote first when you enter it as in
'200704301524


Chris wrote:


I have to enter the date in a certain way, yyyymmddhhmm.
I enter 200704301524 into a cell. I save the file in .csv. When I open the
file again, the # is changed to a formula, 2.00704E+11
How do I get it to not do that? I have tried saving it as a text, and it
still doesn't work.
Thanks,
Chris

Long # turns into a formula-How do I turn that off?
 

Yep.

Excel sees the .csv file and does what it wants with the data.

You have a few options:
1. Don't save the file as .csv (use .xls -- a normal workbook)
2. Rename the .csv file to .txt and when you open that file via File|Open,
you'll be able to specify the field the way you want (text??).
3. Reapply the number formatting each time you open the .csv file.


Chris wrote:

I do that, and save teh file. When I open the file again, it goes back to the
formula.

"JE McGimpsey" wrote:

You're seeing scientific notation format. You could change the format to:

Format/Cells/Number/Custom 000000000000




In article ,
Chris wrote:

I have to enter the date in a certain way, yyyymmddhhmm.
I enter 200704301524 into a cell. I save the file in .csv. When I open the
file again, the # is changed to a formula, 2.00704E+11
How do I get it to not do that? I have tried saving it as a text, and it
still doesn't work.
Thanks,
Chris


--

Dave Peterson

Long # turns into a formula-How do I turn that off?
 

Also enclosing the "number" in single quotes will force it to remain text.

Dave Peterson wrote:

Yep.

Excel sees the .csv file and does what it wants with the data.

You have a few options:
1. Don't save the file as .csv (use .xls -- a normal workbook)
2. Rename the .csv file to .txt and when you open that file via File|Open,
you'll be able to specify the field the way you want (text??).
3. Reapply the number formatting each time you open the .csv file.


Chris wrote:

I do that, and save teh file. When I open the file again, it goes back to the
formula.

"JE McGimpsey" wrote:


You're seeing scientific notation format. You could change the format to:

Format/Cells/Number/Custom 000000000000




In article ,
Chris wrote:


I have to enter the date in a certain way, yyyymmddhhmm.
I enter 200704301524 into a cell. I save the file in .csv. When I open the
file again, the # is changed to a formula, 2.00704E+11
How do I get it to not do that? I have tried saving it as a text, and it
still doesn't work.
Thanks,
Chris

Long # turns into a formula-How do I turn that off?
 

But doesn't this add extra characters to each value?

I ended up with '1234' in a cell (including both apostrophes)

Bob I wrote:

Also enclosing the "number" in single quotes will force it to remain text.

Dave Peterson wrote:

Yep.

Excel sees the .csv file and does what it wants with the data.

You have a few options:
1. Don't save the file as .csv (use .xls -- a normal workbook)
2. Rename the .csv file to .txt and when you open that file via File|Open,
you'll be able to specify the field the way you want (text??).
3. Reapply the number formatting each time you open the .csv file.


Chris wrote:

I do that, and save teh file. When I open the file again, it goes back to the
formula.

"JE McGimpsey" wrote:


You're seeing scientific notation format. You could change the format to:

Format/Cells/Number/Custom 000000000000




In article ,
Chris wrote:


I have to enter the date in a certain way, yyyymmddhhmm.
I enter 200704301524 into a cell. I save the file in .csv. When I open the
file again, the # is changed to a formula, 2.00704E+11
How do I get it to not do that? I have tried saving it as a text, and it
still doesn't work.
Thanks,
Chris



--

Dave Peterson

Long # turns into a formula-How do I turn that off?
 

Yes, but it will preserve the "text number" in the .csv save and reload
scenario. Otherwise they will need to play the .txt file game.

Dave Peterson wrote:

But doesn't this add extra characters to each value?

I ended up with '1234' in a cell (including both apostrophes)

Bob I wrote:

Also enclosing the "number" in single quotes will force it to remain text.

Dave Peterson wrote:


Yep.

Excel sees the .csv file and does what it wants with the data.

You have a few options:
1. Don't save the file as .csv (use .xls -- a normal workbook)
2. Rename the .csv file to .txt and when you open that file via File|Open,
you'll be able to specify the field the way you want (text??).
3. Reapply the number formatting each time you open the .csv file.


Chris wrote:


I do that, and save teh file. When I open the file again, it goes back to the
formula.

"JE McGimpsey" wrote:



You're seeing scientific notation format. You could change the format to:

Format/Cells/Number/Custom 000000000000




In article ,
Chris wrote:



I have to enter the date in a certain way, yyyymmddhhmm.
I enter 200704301524 into a cell. I save the file in .csv. When I open the
file again, the # is changed to a formula, 2.00704E+11
How do I get it to not do that? I have tried saving it as a text, and it
still doesn't work.
Thanks,
Chris

Long # turns into a formula-How do I turn that off?
 

I wouldn't call '1234' with the surrounding apostrophes a "text number". It
looks like a plain old text string to me--just like x1234x does.

But maybe it'll server the OP.

Bob I wrote:

Yes, but it will preserve the "text number" in the .csv save and reload
scenario. Otherwise they will need to play the .txt file game.

Dave Peterson wrote:

But doesn't this add extra characters to each value?

I ended up with '1234' in a cell (including both apostrophes)

Bob I wrote:

Also enclosing the "number" in single quotes will force it to remain text.

Dave Peterson wrote:


Yep.

Excel sees the .csv file and does what it wants with the data.

You have a few options:
1. Don't save the file as .csv (use .xls -- a normal workbook)
2. Rename the .csv file to .txt and when you open that file via File|Open,
you'll be able to specify the field the way you want (text??).
3. Reapply the number formatting each time you open the .csv file.


Chris wrote:


I do that, and save teh file. When I open the file again, it goes back to the
formula.

"JE McGimpsey" wrote:



You're seeing scientific notation format. You could change the format to:

Format/Cells/Number/Custom 000000000000




In article ,
Chris wrote:



I have to enter the date in a certain way, yyyymmddhhmm.
I enter 200704301524 into a cell. I save the file in .csv. When I open the
file again, the # is changed to a formula, 2.00704E+11
How do I get it to not do that? I have tried saving it as a text, and it
still doesn't work.
Thanks,
Chris



--

Dave Peterson