I have a list of full names in column A. I want to extract the first name to
the corresponding row in col B. I am using the formula =left(a1,search("
",a1)). It works in B1 but when I copy the formula down the column, I get
the same first name in all cells, (e.g., cell a1 has Joe Smith, cell b1
results are Joe, but so is cell b2, b3, b4.) The column is formatted for
General. I have never seen this behavior before. Anyone have any ideas?
No, I don't want to type the formula over 300 times.

PocketRocket wrote:
I have a list of full names in column A. I want to extract the first name to
the corresponding row in col B. I am using the formula =left(a1,search("
",a1)). It works in B1 but when I copy the formula down the column, I get
the same first name in all cells, (e.g., cell a1 has Joe Smith, cell b1
results are Joe, but so is cell b2, b3, b4.) The column is formatted for
General. I have never seen this behavior before. Anyone have any ideas?
No, I don't want to type the formula over 300 times.


Check that calculation is set to automatic.

Tools Options Calculation Automatic OK out


"PocketRocket" wrote:

I have a list of full names in column A. I want to extract the first name to
the corresponding row in col B. I am using the formula =left(a1,search("
",a1)). It works in B1 but when I copy the formula down the column, I get
the same first name in all cells, (e.g., cell a1 has Joe Smith, cell b1
results are Joe, but so is cell b2, b3, b4.) The column is formatted for
General. I have never seen this behavior before. Anyone have any ideas?
No, I don't want to type the formula over 300 times.

That was it. Thank you. It was a spreadsheet set up by someone else who
turned calcuations off.

"Teethless mama" wrote:

Tools Options Calculation Automatic OK out


"PocketRocket" wrote:

I have a list of full names in column A. I want to extract the first name to
the corresponding row in col B. I am using the formula =left(a1,search("
",a1)). It works in B1 but when I copy the formula down the column, I get
the same first name in all cells, (e.g., cell a1 has Joe Smith, cell b1
results are Joe, but so is cell b2, b3, b4.) The column is formatted for
General. I have never seen this behavior before. Anyone have any ideas?
No, I don't want to type the formula over 300 times.

Not necessarily.

The first workbook opened during a session of Excel will set the calculation
mode for all subsequent opened workbooks no matter what mode they were saved
in.

You have to watch out for this at all times.


Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP

On Thu, 22 Oct 2009 10:26:01 -0700, PocketRocket
wrote:

That was it. Thank you. It was a spreadsheet set up by someone else who
turned calcuations off.

"Teethless mama" wrote:

Tools Options Calculation Automatic OK out


"PocketRocket" wrote:

I have a list of full names in column A. I want to extract the first name to
the corresponding row in col B. I am using the formula =left(a1,search("
",a1)). It works in B1 but when I copy the formula down the column, I get
the same first name in all cells, (e.g., cell a1 has Joe Smith, cell b1
results are Joe, but so is cell b2, b3, b4.) The column is formatted for
General. I have never seen this behavior before. Anyone have any ideas?
No, I don't want to type the formula over 300 times.