If you were going to enter a *very* large number of dates into a column,
where you might consider it worthwhile using several *extra* steps in Text
To Columns (TTC), you could enter your dates using *6* digits (to avoid
ambiguity), *without* delimiters.

This entails a whole other procedure, so the saving wouldn't be realized
unless the number of dates to be entered was quite large.

For example, you could enter dates as mmddyy.
041705
121504
010105
101206
092504
122505

Then, select the cells, and
<Data <TextToColumns <Next <Next

Click on "Date", and make sure "MDY" shows in the window,
Then <Finish.

You've now made your 6 digit date entries recognizable to XL as *the* dates
that you want, not "morphed" into dates XL chooses.

As I said before, it's your call as to whether or not this extra effort is
efficacious.
--
HTH,

RD

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"date formats morph the dates/chang case"
rosoft.com wrote in
message ...
Hi:
I think my problem was understanding "formatting" I thought you could
choose the format and then save time by typing 41705 and it would turn out
Apr 17, 2005 or 4-17-05 depending on the format. I guess there's no
way
around inpur 4/17/05. Right?

Inputting 41705 gets you 7-mar-02

Carrie