In another spreadsheet program long ago, it was possible to type an
apostrophe preceding text that is being entered into a numbers-formatted
cell, the the text was treated as text. For example, in Excel 2003, if I
type "04/04/08" in a General cell, Excel converts the entry to
"4/4/2008". If I typed "'04/04/08" (an apostrophe precedes the numbers
and slashes), the information was entered as text as if the cell were
separately formatted for text. Is there is similar capability in Excel?

Yep, same (at least in the test I just did). It will convert it to text. If
you have automatic error checking on it will note that it is a number or date
converted to text.

"mcp6453" wrote:

In another spreadsheet program long ago, it was possible to type an
apostrophe preceding text that is being entered into a numbers-formatted
cell, the the text was treated as text. For example, in Excel 2003, if I
type "04/04/08" in a General cell, Excel converts the entry to
"4/4/2008". If I typed "'04/04/08" (an apostrophe precedes the numbers
and slashes), the information was entered as text as if the cell were
separately formatted for text. Is there is similar capability in Excel?

Should work the same way, but start with the single quote and omit both
double quotes.
--
Gary''s Student - gsnu2007j


"mcp6453" wrote:

In another spreadsheet program long ago, it was possible to type an
apostrophe preceding text that is being entered into a numbers-formatted
cell, the the text was treated as text. For example, in Excel 2003, if I
type "04/04/08" in a General cell, Excel converts the entry to
"4/4/2008". If I typed "'04/04/08" (an apostrophe precedes the numbers
and slashes), the information was entered as text as if the cell were
separately formatted for text. Is there is similar capability in Excel?

tim m wrote:
Yep, same (at least in the test I just did). It will convert it to text. If
you have automatic error checking on it will note that it is a number or date
converted to text.

"mcp6453" wrote:

In another spreadsheet program long ago, it was possible to type an
apostrophe preceding text that is being entered into a numbers-formatted
cell, the the text was treated as text. For example, in Excel 2003, if I
type "04/04/08" in a General cell, Excel converts the entry to
"4/4/2008". If I typed "'04/04/08" (an apostrophe precedes the numbers
and slashes), the information was entered as text as if the cell were
separately formatted for text. Is there is similar capability in Excel?

Strange. It's working for me, too, now.

Thanks