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Default Formula snafu

I am baffled. I received a challenge to edit the date in one column. It's a
number that is formatted as a string.
I figured no problem so I entered a formula in an adjacent cell
"=right(D3,4)" and the only thing displayed is the formula (in the cell)!

I tested a different column and got the same thing. So I changed the
formula to point to a cell that had a name in it. The name was then
displayed in the new cell. I then went back to the same cell with the
formula that pointed to the persons name and re-entered the formula and guess
what, it now only displays the formula and not the persons name.

Is there some security issue I'm dealing with in this spreadsheet if so how
do I turn it off?


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Default Formula snafu

Here's befo

Column D Column E
1280-28101

Here's After

Column D Column E
1280-28101 =right(D2,4) ( this is what is displayed in the cell E3)
( should display
8101 )


Click Tools/Options on Excel's menu bar and then click the View tab on the
dialog box that appears. In the bottom section (labeled "Window
options").... is there a check mark in the Formulas entry? If so, uncheck
it.

Rick

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Default Formula snafu

other formulas in the same cell work OK?
If you are copying and pasting the formula , select the "=" and replace it
with a new "=".


"El Bee" wrote:

Don.

Here's befo


Column D Column E
1280-28101


Here's After

Column D Column E
1280-28101 =right(D2,4) ( this is what is displayed in the cell E3)
( should display
8101 )





"Don Guillett" wrote:

Before/after examples?

--
Don Guillett
Microsoft MVP Excel
SalesAid Software

"El Bee" wrote in message
...
I am baffled. I received a challenge to edit the date in one column. It's
a
number that is formatted as a string.
I figured no problem so I entered a formula in an adjacent cell
"=right(D3,4)" and the only thing displayed is the formula (in the cell)!

I tested a different column and got the same thing. So I changed the
formula to point to a cell that had a name in it. The name was then
displayed in the new cell. I then went back to the same cell with the
formula that pointed to the persons name and re-entered the formula and
guess
what, it now only displays the formula and not the persons name.

Is there some security issue I'm dealing with in this spreadsheet if so
how
do I turn it off?






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Default Formula snafu

To answer Rick Rothstein reply; the formula box is not check.

I'm not copying the formula from one cell to another. In my example cell E2
just had the formula manually entered but it does not display the information
from cell D2; it only displays the formula.

I went to a colmn further to the right; column J2 and manually entered the
same formula and it wouldn't show the correct information either.

I had a cell, C2 which contained a name so I placed a formula in K2 that
said "=C2" and the name was displayed. I then retyped the same formula in K2
"=C2" and the name would not display; only the formula I typed in.


"bj" wrote:

other formulas in the same cell work OK?
If you are copying and pasting the formula , select the "=" and replace it
with a new "=".


"El Bee" wrote:

Don.

Here's befo


Column D Column E
1280-28101


Here's After

Column D Column E
1280-28101 =right(D2,4) ( this is what is displayed in the cell E3)
( should display
8101 )





"Don Guillett" wrote:

Before/after examples?

--
Don Guillett
Microsoft MVP Excel
SalesAid Software

"El Bee" wrote in message
...
I am baffled. I received a challenge to edit the date in one column. It's
a
number that is formatted as a string.
I figured no problem so I entered a formula in an adjacent cell
"=right(D3,4)" and the only thing displayed is the formula (in the cell)!

I tested a different column and got the same thing. So I changed the
formula to point to a cell that had a name in it. The name was then
displayed in the new cell. I then went back to the same cell with the
formula that pointed to the persons name and re-entered the formula and
guess
what, it now only displays the formula and not the persons name.

Is there some security issue I'm dealing with in this spreadsheet if so
how
do I turn it off?




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Default Formula snafu

Are the formula cells formatted as text? if so reformat as General and if
this does not work multiply by 0 e.g. right(d3,4)*0

Peter

"El Bee" wrote:

To answer Rick Rothstein reply; the formula box is not check.

I'm not copying the formula from one cell to another. In my example cell E2
just had the formula manually entered but it does not display the information
from cell D2; it only displays the formula.

I went to a colmn further to the right; column J2 and manually entered the
same formula and it wouldn't show the correct information either.

I had a cell, C2 which contained a name so I placed a formula in K2 that
said "=C2" and the name was displayed. I then retyped the same formula in K2
"=C2" and the name would not display; only the formula I typed in.


"bj" wrote:

other formulas in the same cell work OK?
If you are copying and pasting the formula , select the "=" and replace it
with a new "=".


"El Bee" wrote:

Don.

Here's befo


Column D Column E
1280-28101


Here's After

Column D Column E
1280-28101 =right(D2,4) ( this is what is displayed in the cell E3)
( should display
8101 )





"Don Guillett" wrote:

Before/after examples?

--
Don Guillett
Microsoft MVP Excel
SalesAid Software

"El Bee" wrote in message
...
I am baffled. I received a challenge to edit the date in one column. It's
a
number that is formatted as a string.
I figured no problem so I entered a formula in an adjacent cell
"=right(D3,4)" and the only thing displayed is the formula (in the cell)!

I tested a different column and got the same thing. So I changed the
formula to point to a cell that had a name in it. The name was then
displayed in the new cell. I then went back to the same cell with the
formula that pointed to the persons name and re-entered the formula and
guess
what, it now only displays the formula and not the persons name.

Is there some security issue I'm dealing with in this spreadsheet if so
how
do I turn it off?




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Default Formula snafu

Change the cell format to General then F2 + ENTER.


Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP

On Mon, 12 Nov 2007 11:21:00 -0800, El Bee
wrote:

To answer Rick Rothstein reply; the formula box is not check.

I'm not copying the formula from one cell to another. In my example cell E2
just had the formula manually entered but it does not display the information
from cell D2; it only displays the formula.

I went to a colmn further to the right; column J2 and manually entered the
same formula and it wouldn't show the correct information either.

I had a cell, C2 which contained a name so I placed a formula in K2 that
said "=C2" and the name was displayed. I then retyped the same formula in K2
"=C2" and the name would not display; only the formula I typed in.


"bj" wrote:

other formulas in the same cell work OK?
If you are copying and pasting the formula , select the "=" and replace it
with a new "=".


"El Bee" wrote:

Don.

Here's befo


Column D Column E
1280-28101


Here's After

Column D Column E
1280-28101 =right(D2,4) ( this is what is displayed in the cell E3)
( should display
8101 )





"Don Guillett" wrote:

Before/after examples?

--
Don Guillett
Microsoft MVP Excel
SalesAid Software

"El Bee" wrote in message
...
I am baffled. I received a challenge to edit the date in one column. It's
a
number that is formatted as a string.
I figured no problem so I entered a formula in an adjacent cell
"=right(D3,4)" and the only thing displayed is the formula (in the cell)!

I tested a different column and got the same thing. So I changed the
formula to point to a cell that had a name in it. The name was then
displayed in the new cell. I then went back to the same cell with the
formula that pointed to the persons name and re-entered the formula and
guess
what, it now only displays the formula and not the persons name.

Is there some security issue I'm dealing with in this spreadsheet if so
how
do I turn it off?





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Default Formula snafu

Gord,

Your suggestion fixed the problem; but what does the F2+Enter really do?

Thanks to all for your suggestions and time.

Larry

"Gord Dibben" wrote:

Change the cell format to General then F2 + ENTER.


Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP

On Mon, 12 Nov 2007 11:21:00 -0800, El Bee
wrote:

To answer Rick Rothstein reply; the formula box is not check.

I'm not copying the formula from one cell to another. In my example cell E2
just had the formula manually entered but it does not display the information
from cell D2; it only displays the formula.

I went to a colmn further to the right; column J2 and manually entered the
same formula and it wouldn't show the correct information either.

I had a cell, C2 which contained a name so I placed a formula in K2 that
said "=C2" and the name was displayed. I then retyped the same formula in K2
"=C2" and the name would not display; only the formula I typed in.


"bj" wrote:

other formulas in the same cell work OK?
If you are copying and pasting the formula , select the "=" and replace it
with a new "=".


"El Bee" wrote:

Don.

Here's befo


Column D Column E
1280-28101


Here's After

Column D Column E
1280-28101 =right(D2,4) ( this is what is displayed in the cell E3)
( should display
8101 )





"Don Guillett" wrote:

Before/after examples?

--
Don Guillett
Microsoft MVP Excel
SalesAid Software

"El Bee" wrote in message
...
I am baffled. I received a challenge to edit the date in one column. It's
a
number that is formatted as a string.
I figured no problem so I entered a formula in an adjacent cell
"=right(D3,4)" and the only thing displayed is the formula (in the cell)!

I tested a different column and got the same thing. So I changed the
formula to point to a cell that had a name in it. The name was then
displayed in the new cell. I then went back to the same cell with the
formula that pointed to the persons name and re-entered the formula and
guess
what, it now only displays the formula and not the persons name.

Is there some security issue I'm dealing with in this spreadsheet if so
how
do I turn it off?






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Default Formula snafu

F2 tells excel that you want to edit the contents/formula of that cell.

Hitting enter tells excel that you're done with the edit.

So excel sees that it should look at that cell and since it starts with an equal
sign and is formatted as General (not Text), that it should re-evaluate it as a
formula.

El Bee wrote:

Gord,

Your suggestion fixed the problem; but what does the F2+Enter really do?

Thanks to all for your suggestions and time.

Larry

"Gord Dibben" wrote:

Change the cell format to General then F2 + ENTER.


Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP

On Mon, 12 Nov 2007 11:21:00 -0800, El Bee
wrote:

To answer Rick Rothstein reply; the formula box is not check.

I'm not copying the formula from one cell to another. In my example cell E2
just had the formula manually entered but it does not display the information
from cell D2; it only displays the formula.

I went to a colmn further to the right; column J2 and manually entered the
same formula and it wouldn't show the correct information either.

I had a cell, C2 which contained a name so I placed a formula in K2 that
said "=C2" and the name was displayed. I then retyped the same formula in K2
"=C2" and the name would not display; only the formula I typed in.


"bj" wrote:

other formulas in the same cell work OK?
If you are copying and pasting the formula , select the "=" and replace it
with a new "=".


"El Bee" wrote:

Don.

Here's befo


Column D Column E
1280-28101


Here's After

Column D Column E
1280-28101 =right(D2,4) ( this is what is displayed in the cell E3)
( should display
8101 )





"Don Guillett" wrote:

Before/after examples?

--
Don Guillett
Microsoft MVP Excel
SalesAid Software

"El Bee" wrote in message
...
I am baffled. I received a challenge to edit the date in one column. It's
a
number that is formatted as a string.
I figured no problem so I entered a formula in an adjacent cell
"=right(D3,4)" and the only thing displayed is the formula (in the cell)!

I tested a different column and got the same thing. So I changed the
formula to point to a cell that had a name in it. The name was then
displayed in the new cell. I then went back to the same cell with the
formula that pointed to the persons name and re-entered the formula and
guess
what, it now only displays the formula and not the persons name.

Is there some security issue I'm dealing with in this spreadsheet if so
how
do I turn it off?







--

Dave Peterson


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Default Formula snafu

That's what I would have posted<g

Thanks Dave.


Gord

On Tue, 13 Nov 2007 11:32:07 -0600, Dave Peterson
wrote:

F2 tells excel that you want to edit the contents/formula of that cell.

Hitting enter tells excel that you're done with the edit.

So excel sees that it should look at that cell and since it starts with an equal
sign and is formatted as General (not Text), that it should re-evaluate it as a
formula.

El Bee wrote:

Gord,

Your suggestion fixed the problem; but what does the F2+Enter really do?

Thanks to all for your suggestions and time.

Larry

"Gord Dibben" wrote:

Change the cell format to General then F2 + ENTER.


Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP

On Mon, 12 Nov 2007 11:21:00 -0800, El Bee
wrote:

To answer Rick Rothstein reply; the formula box is not check.

I'm not copying the formula from one cell to another. In my example cell E2
just had the formula manually entered but it does not display the information
from cell D2; it only displays the formula.

I went to a colmn further to the right; column J2 and manually entered the
same formula and it wouldn't show the correct information either.

I had a cell, C2 which contained a name so I placed a formula in K2 that
said "=C2" and the name was displayed. I then retyped the same formula in K2
"=C2" and the name would not display; only the formula I typed in.


"bj" wrote:

other formulas in the same cell work OK?
If you are copying and pasting the formula , select the "=" and replace it
with a new "=".


"El Bee" wrote:

Don.

Here's befo


Column D Column E
1280-28101


Here's After

Column D Column E
1280-28101 =right(D2,4) ( this is what is displayed in the cell E3)
( should display
8101 )





"Don Guillett" wrote:

Before/after examples?

--
Don Guillett
Microsoft MVP Excel
SalesAid Software

"El Bee" wrote in message
...
I am baffled. I received a challenge to edit the date in one column. It's
a
number that is formatted as a string.
I figured no problem so I entered a formula in an adjacent cell
"=right(D3,4)" and the only thing displayed is the formula (in the cell)!

I tested a different column and got the same thing. So I changed the
formula to point to a cell that had a name in it. The name was then
displayed in the new cell. I then went back to the same cell with the
formula that pointed to the persons name and re-entered the formula and
guess
what, it now only displays the formula and not the persons name.

Is there some security issue I'm dealing with in this spreadsheet if so
how
do I turn it off?







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