Excel enters date as a text format
 

Hi, I have Excel 2003 and have been working with 2000 for a while (hate that
new feature with error checking,etc.)

Anyways, I have a problem when trying to enter a date (ie. entering as
2/15/2005 or 2-15-2005) it's always entering it as a text format (ie.
'2/15/2005).

Well, this is leaving a problem with me because I can't change it to a
different date format now because it's recognizing it as a text instead of a
date.

I never had this problem with Excel 2000, I just entering the date and it
automatically enters it as a date. What the heck is going on with Excel 2003
(so far I'm not impressed that even a little thing as entering a date
Microsoft manages to complicate it)

Hi Kane

Look if the cells are format as Text
Select the cells and use Ctrl-1

Change it to general



--
Regards Ron de Bruin
http://www.rondebruin.nl



"Kane" wrote in message ...
Hi, I have Excel 2003 and have been working with 2000 for a while (hate that
new feature with error checking,etc.)

Anyways, I have a problem when trying to enter a date (ie. entering as
2/15/2005 or 2-15-2005) it's always entering it as a text format (ie.
'2/15/2005).

Well, this is leaving a problem with me because I can't change it to a
different date format now because it's recognizing it as a text instead of a
date.

I never had this problem with Excel 2000, I just entering the date and it
automatically enters it as a date. What the heck is going on with Excel 2003
(so far I'm not impressed that even a little thing as entering a date
Microsoft manages to complicate it)

And to fix the ones already done, select it, hit Ctrl-Shift-#, then hit F2
end Enter.

--

HTH

RP
(remove nothere from the email address if mailing direct)


"Ron de Bruin" wrote in message
...
Hi Kane

Look if the cells are format as Text
Select the cells and use Ctrl-1

Change it to general



--
Regards Ron de Bruin
http://www.rondebruin.nl



"Kane" wrote in message
...
Hi, I have Excel 2003 and have been working with 2000 for a while (hate
that
new feature with error checking,etc.)

Anyways, I have a problem when trying to enter a date (ie. entering as
2/15/2005 or 2-15-2005) it's always entering it as a text format (ie.
'2/15/2005).

Well, this is leaving a problem with me because I can't change it to a
different date format now because it's recognizing it as a text instead
of a
date.

I never had this problem with Excel 2000, I just entering the date and
it
automatically enters it as a date. What the heck is going on with Excel
2003
(so far I'm not impressed that even a little thing as entering a date
Microsoft manages to complicate it)

Kane

Perhaps your Regional Options Short Date setting is dd/mm/yyyy.

If that is the case then 15/2/2005 would be a date and 2/15/2005 is text.

Either learn to enter dates in that format or change the Regional Options to
mm/dd/yyyy


Gord Dibben Excel MVP

On Tue, 22 Mar 2005 09:11:04 -0800, "Kane"
wrote:

Hi, I have Excel 2003 and have been working with 2000 for a while (hate that
new feature with error checking,etc.)

Anyways, I have a problem when trying to enter a date (ie. entering as
2/15/2005 or 2-15-2005) it's always entering it as a text format (ie.
'2/15/2005).

Well, this is leaving a problem with me because I can't change it to a
different date format now because it's recognizing it as a text instead of a
date.

I never had this problem with Excel 2000, I just entering the date and it
automatically enters it as a date. What the heck is going on with Excel 2003
(so far I'm not impressed that even a little thing as entering a date
Microsoft manages to complicate it)