In Excel, how can you format for 4 digit years (MM/DD/YYYY)?
 

I'm pulling in an unformatted 8-digit date field from an AS400 into an excel
spreadsheet. I would like to be able to format it in MM/DD/YYYY format in the
spreadsheet, but get weird numbers when I do so. I don't see anything in the
standard date formatting section and have created a Custom Format as
' / / ', but this will not work either.

Chucky,
You'll need to use the date(year,month,day) function to convert to an excel
date. You can break down your data from the AS400 by using string functions.
Say the date is 02042005 in cell C7, then the formula would be
=DATE(RIGHT(C7,4),LEFT(C7,2),MID(C7,3,2)). You can then format it as you
wish.
Gary

"Chucky" wrote:

I'm pulling in an unformatted 8-digit date field from an AS400 into an excel
spreadsheet. I would like to be able to format it in MM/DD/YYYY format in the
spreadsheet, but get weird numbers when I do so. I don't see anything in the
standard date formatting section and have created a Custom Format as
' / / ', but this will not work either.

Chucky

Assuming your data is coming in like 20051231 or similar.

Try DataText to ColumnsNextNextColumn Data FormatDate and pick the
appropriate format then Finish.

You will have to then format the cells to your MM/DD/YYYY format.


Gord Dibben Excel MVP

On Wed, 19 Jan 2005 13:17:23 -0800, Chucky
wrote:

I'm pulling in an unformatted 8-digit date field from an AS400 into an excel
spreadsheet. I would like to be able to format it in MM/DD/YYYY format in the
spreadsheet, but get weird numbers when I do so. I don't see anything in the
standard date formatting section and have created a Custom Format as
' / / ', but this will not work either.

Select the import, do datatext to columns, click next twice, select Date
under columns data format and from dropdown select the imported date format
so if it can look like 10122004 (10/12/2004) then select MDY and click finish


Regards,

Peo Sjoblom

"Chucky" wrote:

I'm pulling in an unformatted 8-digit date field from an AS400 into an excel
spreadsheet. I would like to be able to format it in MM/DD/YYYY format in the
spreadsheet, but get weird numbers when I do so. I don't see anything in the
standard date formatting section and have created a Custom Format as
' / / ', but this will not work either.

Good tip Peo, I learned something new.
Gary

"Peo Sjoblom" wrote:

Select the import, do datatext to columns, click next twice, select Date
under columns data format and from dropdown select the imported date format
so if it can look like 10122004 (10/12/2004) then select MDY and click finish


Regards,

Peo Sjoblom

"Chucky" wrote:

I'm pulling in an unformatted 8-digit date field from an AS400 into an excel
spreadsheet. I would like to be able to format it in MM/DD/YYYY format in the
spreadsheet, but get weird numbers when I do so. I don't see anything in the
standard date formatting section and have created a Custom Format as
' / / ', but this will not work either.