Date Format Squirrelly
 

This must be simple, but it's driving me crazy. I have a date in one
spreadsheet -- 07/21/05 for example. When I copy the cell and paste it into a
second spreadsheet it shows as 07/20/01. Hmmm... Ok, I played around with
pasting it various ways (e.g. value only, format only, etc.) and by manually
telling the second sheet to format it this way and that, but I still get two
different dates.

So then I go in and tell both spreadsheets to format the date as a number. They
both display the same number 37092. So then I go back and tell both
spreadsheets to reformat the cell as mm/dd/yy and once again they display the
two different dates. Hmm...

So then I type the date 7/21/05 into the second sheet and it displays properly.
When I ask it to format as a number though it shows 38554 *not* 37092. So
then I go type the same date into the first spreadsheet. It displays properly
and when I ask to see it formatted as a number it shows 37092.

What's going on? How can these two spreadsheets, open in Excel at the same time
side-by-side be interpreting the same number as two different dates?

I'm confused ... *really* confused.

Bill

Have you got that spreadsheet set to the 1904 date system,
ToolsOptionsCalculation , and there is a 1904 date system box, uncheck it.

--

HTH

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


"Bill Martin -- (Remove NOSPAM from address)"
wrote in message ...
This must be simple, but it's driving me crazy. I have a date in one
spreadsheet -- 07/21/05 for example. When I copy the cell and paste it
into a
second spreadsheet it shows as 07/20/01. Hmmm... Ok, I played around
with
pasting it various ways (e.g. value only, format only, etc.) and by
manually
telling the second sheet to format it this way and that, but I still get
two
different dates.

So then I go in and tell both spreadsheets to format the date as a number.
They
both display the same number 37092. So then I go back and tell both
spreadsheets to reformat the cell as mm/dd/yy and once again they display
the
two different dates. Hmm...

So then I type the date 7/21/05 into the second sheet and it displays
properly.
When I ask it to format as a number though it shows 38554 *not* 37092.
So
then I go type the same date into the first spreadsheet. It displays
properly
and when I ask to see it formatted as a number it shows 37092.

What's going on? How can these two spreadsheets, open in Excel at the
same time
side-by-side be interpreting the same number as two different dates?

I'm confused ... *really* confused.

Bill

Bob Phillips wrote:
Have you got that spreadsheet set to the 1904 date system,
ToolsOptionsCalculation , and there is a 1904 date system box, uncheck it.



You're absolutely right Bob! The one with 1904 checked came from someone else.
I didn't realize that the Options settings could be different for two
different spreadsheets which are both open at once.

Thanks!

Bill

Nor did I Bill, until I tried it. I never use the 1904 system. The 4 years
gave it away though.

Bob

"Bill Martin -- (Remove NOSPAM from address)"
wrote in message ...
Bob Phillips wrote:
Have you got that spreadsheet set to the 1904 date system,
ToolsOptionsCalculation , and there is a 1904 date system box, uncheck
it.



You're absolutely right Bob! The one with 1904 checked came from someone
else.
I didn't realize that the Options settings could be different for two
different spreadsheets which are both open at once.

Thanks!

Bill