I want all the birthdates to be in the form dd/mm/yyyy but the data was
imported into the spreadsheet in the form yyyy-mm-dd. I've gone into the
cell format menu and changed the format to the one I require but the cells
refuse to update to the new format. The only way I have managed to get them
to change is by putting the cursor in the cell and hitting return. When I do
this the cell refreshes to the correct formatting. The thing is, I have a
data base with hundreds of dates in it, and I'm getting bored with having to
click into each cell to make it change to the new formatting.
--
Michelle

Try selecting an empty cell and copying it.

Select all other cells and EditPaste Special(in place)AddOKEsc.

Also make sure calculation mode is "Automatic" at ToolsOptionsCalculation.


Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP

On Thu, 3 May 2007 21:09:02 -0700, Michelle
wrote:

I want all the birthdates to be in the form dd/mm/yyyy but the data was
imported into the spreadsheet in the form yyyy-mm-dd. I've gone into the
cell format menu and changed the format to the one I require but the cells
refuse to update to the new format. The only way I have managed to get them
to change is by putting the cursor in the cell and hitting return. When I do
this the cell refreshes to the correct formatting. The thing is, I have a
data base with hundreds of dates in it, and I'm getting bored with having to
click into each cell to make it change to the new formatting.

Thanks, your first suggestion worked, although I can't understand why???
--
Michelle


"Gord Dibben" wrote:

Try selecting an empty cell and copying it.

Select all other cells and EditPaste Special(in place)AddOKEsc.

Also make sure calculation mode is "Automatic" at ToolsOptionsCalculation.


Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP

On Thu, 3 May 2007 21:09:02 -0700, Michelle
wrote:

I want all the birthdates to be in the form dd/mm/yyyy but the data was
imported into the spreadsheet in the form yyyy-mm-dd. I've gone into the
cell format menu and changed the format to the one I require but the cells
refuse to update to the new format. The only way I have managed to get them
to change is by putting the cursor in the cell and hitting return. When I do
this the cell refreshes to the correct formatting. The thing is, I have a
data base with hundreds of dates in it, and I'm getting bored with having to
click into each cell to make it change to the new formatting.

Excel stores dates as serial numbers.

Your "numbers" being imported were seen as "text".

The copy/paste special changes them back to the serial numbers.


Gord

On Sun, 6 May 2007 16:58:00 -0700, Michelle
wrote:

Thanks, your first suggestion worked, although I can't understand why???