I have discovered I need to change cell formatting from Text to General in
order to get my VLOOKUP to work properly. The problem is is that I would
prefer to do this all at once as my column contains well over 3,000 entries.
Imagine pressing F2, Enter, F2, Enter, F2, Enter into each individual cell (I
can't keep the beat going!) Is there a better way to perfom this task in one
step?

First off, format your range to "General" or "Number"
Enter a 1 into any blank cell.
Copy that cell.
Select your range of data to convert.
Paste Special, and select "Multiply"
Click OK
Delete the 1 that you entered originally.

By multiplying all data by 1, you've changed each value that Excel can
recognize as a number into a number without changing the value.

HTH,
Elkar

"AndreaW" wrote:

I have discovered I need to change cell formatting from Text to General in
order to get my VLOOKUP to work properly. The problem is is that I would
prefer to do this all at once as my column contains well over 3,000 entries.
Imagine pressing F2, Enter, F2, Enter, F2, Enter into each individual cell (I
can't keep the beat going!) Is there a better way to perfom this task in one
step?

You're brilliant Elkar ... thank you!!!!

"Elkar" wrote:

First off, format your range to "General" or "Number"
Enter a 1 into any blank cell.
Copy that cell.
Select your range of data to convert.
Paste Special, and select "Multiply"
Click OK
Delete the 1 that you entered originally.

By multiplying all data by 1, you've changed each value that Excel can
recognize as a number into a number without changing the value.

HTH,
Elkar

"AndreaW" wrote:

I have discovered I need to change cell formatting from Text to General in
order to get my VLOOKUP to work properly. The problem is is that I would
prefer to do this all at once as my column contains well over 3,000 entries.
Imagine pressing F2, Enter, F2, Enter, F2, Enter into each individual cell (I
can't keep the beat going!) Is there a better way to perfom this task in one
step?

Try this..

Select one of the cells, start a macro recording and convert from test
to general. Stop the macro recording.

Then select all your cells and run the macro.


--
mrice

Research Scientist with many years of spreadsheet development experience
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