Change Date format - Apr 10 2004 2:55PM

S

spari77

Hi
we receive raw data in this date format. i tried using the
format cells--> date --> choose the mm/dd/yy format ..but it does no
work. Could there be something wrong with my excel settings (exce
2000). Thanks for your time.
Apr 10 2004 2:55PM
regards....
 
F

Frank Kabel

Hi
Excel has stored the values probably as 'Text' after the
import. Try the following:
1. format the cells with the format MMM DD YYYY hh:mm AM
2. Select an empty cell
3. copy this empty cell and select your range with the
imported values
4. goto 'Edit - Paste Special' and choose 'Add'

Now try formating again
Another option would be to select the data range and
goto 'Data - Text to columns' and go through the wizard
 
T

thomach

Frank has the problem nailed, but I'd suggest a slight change in the fix
order.

1. Select an empty cell AND format this cell to the date/time
formatting you want.

2. Select the target cells and do a PASTE SPECIAL > ADD

(The "paste special > Add" will impose the formatting of the cell that
was copied, so formatting it saves the need to reformat the target cells
latter.)

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S

spari77

hi
thanks for the tips..tried both but it does not seem to work..you guy
are right that the date is being recognized as a character, but it doe
not seem to change even if i format the cell..any other method
thanks.
 
P

Peo Sjoblom

It's because you can't just change the format, you have to force
the text into numbers, that was what the addition of zero (copy an empty
cell)
would do. However I don't think what you have will be recognized
as a date and time


--


For everyone's benefit keep the discussion in the newsgroup.

Regards,

Peo Sjoblom
 
S

spari77

hello
yes, it still does not work. i guess the worse case is to do data -
text to columns and then sort..unless somebody else have a bette
solution.
thank
 
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