Accidentally converted date mm/dd/yy to a 5 digit number

E

Eve

Somehow I accidentally hit a key(s) and caused my dates in one column of my
worksheet to convert to corresponding 5 digit numbers. Each date has its own
unique number (i.e. 7/1/2005 now reads 38534). I want to change it back so
that is actually displays the dates. How do I do that?

I'm using MS Office Excel 2003 running on XP.

Thanks.
 
E

Eve

I have been trying that and it doesn't work. The 5 digit numbers just remain
there even though I choose the format for those cells to show the date with
format of mm/dd/yy. It's like I somehow locked it or protected it and I
can't undo it. Any other advice?
 
E

Eve

Okay, I tried that in a blank worksheet and it worked but when I tried that
same formula in the worksheet that I'm having problems with, it only showed
the actual formula (even after I tried to format it to the date). I guess
the difference was in the blank worksheet, the number was only the number but
in this worksheet, the number is actually corresponding to a date. What I
don't understand is how in the heck did my dates change to those
corresponding numbers? Each date has its own specific number. In other
words, all dates of 7/1/05 have the number 38534 and all dates of 7/19/05
have the number 38552, etc. When my curser is on a cell that had a date in
it, it will show the accurate date in the fx or function line at the top of
the screen but in the actual cell itself, it shows only the 5 digit number.
From the beginning, I had always entered the data in date format. Any other
suggestions?

Also, I looked for
 
L

Lady Layla

Format the cells in the column as the date format you want. If it remains in
numeric format, enter 1 in any blank cell, copy it, select the cells in which
you have numeric dates, Edit-- PasteSpecial-- Multiply


: Somehow I accidentally hit a key(s) and caused my dates in one column of my
: worksheet to convert to corresponding 5 digit numbers. Each date has its own
: unique number (i.e. 7/1/2005 now reads 38534). I want to change it back so
: that is actually displays the dates. How do I do that?
:
: I'm using MS Office Excel 2003 running on XP.
:
: Thanks.
 
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