bug - type 1-4531 in any cell - returned Jan-51 workaround is '1-.
 

In Excel office 2k if you type 1-4351 in any cell the returned value is
Jan-51, 2-4531 =Feb-51 etc. you cannot change the format of the cell to
display numbers!!! The workaround for this bug is to put an open quote mark
in front of the number i.e. '1-4531, as this is the type of number I use
regularly it is extremely annoying, has this already been reported and if so
is there a fix for it?

Hi

Set the cell format to Text before you type into the cell.

--
Andy.


"Paidi" wrote in message
...
In Excel office 2k if you type 1-4351 in any cell the returned value is
Jan-51, 2-4531 =Feb-51 etc. you cannot change the format of the cell to
display numbers!!! The workaround for this bug is to put an open quote
mark
in front of the number i.e. '1-4531, as this is the type of number I use
regularly it is extremely annoying, has this already been reported and if
so
is there a fix for it?

this is not a 'bug' as Excel is programmed to auto interpret numbers that
look like date values as Dates.

A work around is to format your cells as Text prior to entering data in them.

HTH

Bruce


"Paidi" wrote:

In Excel office 2k if you type 1-4351 in any cell the returned value is
Jan-51, 2-4531 =Feb-51 etc. you cannot change the format of the cell to
display numbers!!! The workaround for this bug is to put an open quote mark
in front of the number i.e. '1-4531, as this is the type of number I use
regularly it is extremely annoying, has this already been reported and if so
is there a fix for it?

Paidi

Not really a bug, just the way Excel deals with data in that format.

Excel assumes it is a date being entered.

Try pre-formatting the cells to Text then enter the data.

1-4531 is not a number, it is text.


Gord Dibben Excel MVP


On Thu, 24 Mar 2005 08:01:02 -0800, "Paidi"
wrote:

In Excel office 2k if you type 1-4351 in any cell the returned value is
Jan-51, 2-4531 =Feb-51 etc. you cannot change the format of the cell to
display numbers!!! The workaround for this bug is to put an open quote mark
in front of the number i.e. '1-4531, as this is the type of number I use
regularly it is extremely annoying, has this already been reported and if so
is there a fix for it?

Excel is programmed to auto interpret numbers that look like date values as
Dates.

True, but 1-4531 and 2-4531 don't "look like" dates to me. How would you
describe the format?


In Excel office 2k if you type 1-4351 in any cell the returned value is
Jan-51, 2-4531 =Feb-51 etc.

If you enter 1-2005, Excel assumes Jan 1, 2005 and returns Jan-05, hence, it
treats 1-4351 as Jan 1, 4351 and returns Jan-51

I agree, it doesn't look like a date to you and me... but Excel often
doesn't think like you and me! Ironically, if you enter 1-1899 it returns a
text entry "1-1899"; as numbers prior to 1900 are not treated as dates!

Cheers!

Bruce

"Myrna Larson" wrote:

Excel is programmed to auto interpret numbers that look like date values as
Dates.

True, but 1-4531 and 2-4531 don't "look like" dates to me. How would you
describe the format?


In Excel office 2k if you type 1-4351 in any cell the returned value is
Jan-51, 2-4531 =Feb-51 etc.

Of course! I had forgotten that Excel's calendar now goes to the year 9999.

On Thu, 24 Mar 2005 10:49:04 -0800, "swatsp0p"
wrote:

If you enter 1-2005, Excel assumes Jan 1, 2005 and returns Jan-05, hence, it
treats 1-4351 as Jan 1, 4351 and returns Jan-51

I agree, it doesn't look like a date to you and me... but Excel often
doesn't think like you and me! Ironically, if you enter 1-1899 it returns a
text entry "1-1899"; as numbers prior to 1900 are not treated as dates!

Cheers!

Bruce

"Myrna Larson" wrote:

Excel is programmed to auto interpret numbers that look like date values
as
Dates.

True, but 1-4531 and 2-4531 don't "look like" dates to me. How would you
describe the format?


In Excel office 2k if you type 1-4351 in any cell the returned value is
Jan-51, 2-4531 =Feb-51 etc.