imported text data converting to dates
 

I'm having a problem with imported data automatically converting to dates. I
paste in some data from word which is automatically converted into columns.
One of the columns contains chapter-page number data such as 1-2, or 5-4,
etc. Excel automatically converts that to a date format, which then can't be
converted back to text except as the number corresponding to that date- such
as 38694, etc. The paste of the data overrides any preset "text" format for
those cells. How can I import the data without having it convert to a date?

Thanks.

imported text data converting to dates
 

I don't know if this will work, but the cells that are automatically
converting, try to look up the format of these cells. Higllight them,
right click, and click format cells. Under the number tab, you will
find all sorts of ways to format that cell to look any way you want.
If you just want it to be a number, pick general. If you want it to
look like something else, look thru the options and you can program
those cells to look that way. Excel probably somehow was programmed
to put dates in those cells. I had the same problem, I wanted to put
in 1/4 as in a quarter inch, and without me doing anything, excel
changed 1/4 to Jan 4. I did as mentioned above and it fixed it. Hope
it works for you!


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Roz
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imported text data converting to dates
 

How about a workaround?

Copy your data and paste into NotePad (or any text editor).
Save that file as *.txt.

Now open excel and use File|Open to open the .txt file. You should see the text
import wizard pop up that allows you to specify each field--and you can choose
Text for the field that looks like a date.

ajd wrote:

I'm having a problem with imported data automatically converting to dates. I
paste in some data from word which is automatically converted into columns.
One of the columns contains chapter-page number data such as 1-2, or 5-4,
etc. Excel automatically converts that to a date format, which then can't be
converted back to text except as the number corresponding to that date- such
as 38694, etc. The paste of the data overrides any preset "text" format for
those cells. How can I import the data without having it convert to a date?

Thanks.

--

Dave Peterson