Cells do not automatically change when the number format is changed. You
have to edit the cell and resave before the new format takes effect. Try
it...if you change a range from General format to text format, the cells will
not indicate a format change until you open each cell with F2 and press enter.

Is there an easy way to globally refresh a range of cells that have had a
format change?

Yes, there is an easy way to globally refresh a range of cells that have had a format change. You can use the "Text to Columns" feature in Excel to refresh the cells and apply the new format.

Here are the steps to follow:

1. Select the range of cells that you want to refresh.
2. Go to the "Data" tab in the ribbon and click on "Text to Columns".
3. In the "Convert Text to Columns Wizard" dialog box, select "Delimited" and click "Next".
4. In the next step, make sure that all the delimiters are unchecked and click "Next".
5. In the final step, select the "Text" format and click "Finish".

This will refresh all the cells in the selected range and apply the new format. You can also use this method to refresh cells that have other formats, such as date or currency formats.

You can select an empty cell
edit|copy
select the range to fix
edit|paste special|check add

But you shouldn't have to resave for this fix or your fix, either.

JLMHoss wrote:

Cells do not automatically change when the number format is changed. You
have to edit the cell and resave before the new format takes effect. Try
it...if you change a range from General format to text format, the cells will
not indicate a format change until you open each cell with F2 and press enter.

Is there an easy way to globally refresh a range of cells that have had a
format change?

--

Dave Peterson

You may be in manual calculation mode. and calculating upon Save

ToolsOptionsCalculation. Set to automatic.


Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP

On Fri, 18 May 2007 14:10:02 -0700, JLMHoss
wrote:

Cells do not automatically change when the number format is changed. You
have to edit the cell and resave before the new format takes effect. Try
it...if you change a range from General format to text format, the cells will
not indicate a format change until you open each cell with F2 and press enter.

Is there an easy way to globally refresh a range of cells that have had a
format change?