Excel 2007. A spreadsheet has a whole column with 1200 dates which are
reading as text €“ 01/12/2008. These dates need to be €œdates€� €“ not text. I
changed the Control Panel Date to read dd/MM/yyyy €“ but it seems to only
affect new documents not the existing ones with the 1200 €œtext€� dates. Any
suggestions how I can convert these €œtext€� dates to a proper date format so I
can then customize them to yyymmdd (20081201). The date needs to be in this
format to import into a specific payroll program.

You assistance would be much appreciated.

--
Margy
KZN, South Africa

Reset you Regional Setting to the way you like dates
In Excel the Data | Text-to-Column feature has just what you want
Try it and come back if more details needed
best wishes
--
Bernard V Liengme
Microsoft Excel MVP
http://people.stfx.ca/bliengme
remove caps from email

"Margy" wrote in message
...
Excel 2007. A spreadsheet has a whole column with 1200 dates which are
reading as text - 01/12/2008. These dates need to be "dates" - not text.
I
changed the Control Panel Date to read dd/MM/yyyy - but it seems to only
affect new documents not the existing ones with the 1200 "text" dates. Any
suggestions how I can convert these "text" dates to a proper date format
so I
can then customize them to yyymmdd (20081201). The date needs to be in
this
format to import into a specific payroll program.

You assistance would be much appreciated.

--
Margy
KZN, South Africa

Two Excel 2003 possibilities, so it's worth trying the 2007 equivalents:
Data/ Text to Columns/ and tell it the format of the text you are reading
from
or
Copy an empty cell, select your text cells, Edit/ Paste Special/ Add
--
David Biddulph


"Margy" wrote in message
...
Excel 2007. A spreadsheet has a whole column with 1200 dates which are
reading as text - 01/12/2008. These dates need to be "dates" - not text.
I
changed the Control Panel Date to read dd/MM/yyyy - but it seems to only
affect new documents not the existing ones with the 1200 "text" dates. Any
suggestions how I can convert these "text" dates to a proper date format
so I
can then customize them to yyymmdd (20081201). The date needs to be in
this
format to import into a specific payroll program.

You assistance would be much appreciated.

--
Margy
KZN, South Africa

Thank you so much! It took me a little while to figure out which options to
choose. Am delighted and very grateful indeed.

With much appreciation
Margy


"Bernard Liengme" wrote:

Reset you Regional Setting to the way you like dates
In Excel the Data | Text-to-Column feature has just what you want
Try it and come back if more details needed
best wishes
--
Bernard V Liengme
Microsoft Excel MVP
http://people.stfx.ca/bliengme
remove caps from email

"Margy" wrote in message
...
Excel 2007. A spreadsheet has a whole column with 1200 dates which are
reading as text - 01/12/2008. These dates need to be "dates" - not text.
I
changed the Control Panel Date to read dd/MM/yyyy - but it seems to only
affect new documents not the existing ones with the 1200 "text" dates. Any
suggestions how I can convert these "text" dates to a proper date format
so I
can then customize them to yyymmdd (20081201). The date needs to be in
this
format to import into a specific payroll program.

You assistance would be much appreciated.

--
Margy
KZN, South Africa

I really liked the Paste Special / Add option. Thank you - that is the one I
will use. Really simple and just perfect. I really so appreciate this advice.
Thank you so much.
--
Margy


"David Biddulph" wrote:

Two Excel 2003 possibilities, so it's worth trying the 2007 equivalents:
Data/ Text to Columns/ and tell it the format of the text you are reading
from
or
Copy an empty cell, select your text cells, Edit/ Paste Special/ Add
--
David Biddulph


"Margy" wrote in message
...
Excel 2007. A spreadsheet has a whole column with 1200 dates which are
reading as text - 01/12/2008. These dates need to be "dates" - not text.
I
changed the Control Panel Date to read dd/MM/yyyy - but it seems to only
affect new documents not the existing ones with the 1200 "text" dates. Any
suggestions how I can convert these "text" dates to a proper date format
so I
can then customize them to yyymmdd (20081201). The date needs to be in
this
format to import into a specific payroll program.

You assistance would be much appreciated.

--
Margy
KZN, South Africa

You're welcome. Glad it worked for you.
--
David Biddulph

"Margy" wrote in message
...
I really liked the Paste Special / Add option. Thank you - that is the one
I
will use. Really simple and just perfect. I really so appreciate this
advice.
Thank you so much.
--
Margy


"David Biddulph" wrote:

Two Excel 2003 possibilities, so it's worth trying the 2007 equivalents:
Data/ Text to Columns/ and tell it the format of the text you are reading
from
or
Copy an empty cell, select your text cells, Edit/ Paste Special/ Add
--
David Biddulph


"Margy" wrote in message
...
Excel 2007. A spreadsheet has a whole column with 1200 dates which are
reading as text - 01/12/2008. These dates need to be "dates" - not
text.
I
changed the Control Panel Date to read dd/MM/yyyy - but it seems to
only
affect new documents not the existing ones with the 1200 "text" dates.
Any
suggestions how I can convert these "text" dates to a proper date
format
so I
can then customize them to yyymmdd (20081201). The date needs to be in
this
format to import into a specific payroll program.

You assistance would be much appreciated.

--
Margy
KZN, South Africa