If I had to do this, I'd try to convert each of those non-dates into real dates.

One way is to use a formula:

with 1980-Jan in A1, I could put this in B1
=DATEVALUE(RIGHT(A1,3)&" 1, "&LEFT(A1,4))

Format that cell as a date and see:
Jan 1, 1980

Then you could do pretty much anything you want with that column of real dates.

But the formula you need really depends on all the variation of the values in
your historical data.



Fazeel wrote:

some of the historical data (monthly data, 1980-jan, Feb, march...1981-Jan,
feb.march....) are on this format. But i need them to be pasted as the
otherway around (1981-Dec, Nov.....feb,jan,1980-dec,Nov...feb,jan).

--

Dave Peterson