Date Input Converts to Formula

[Desoto]

In loading a file designed by someone else when loading a date format such as
3/17/2008 into a cell the content automatically converts to a formula
=3/17/2008 and then displays January 1, 1900. What is mystifying is that the
cell is formatted as "date" format to display "March 17, 2008". Thought it
was Data Validation but no such luck. Any thoughts?

Thanks in advance

 

[Bob Greenblatt]

In loading a file designed by someone else when loading a date format such as
3/17/2008 into a cell the content automatically converts to a formula
=3/17/2008 and then displays January 1, 1900. What is mystifying is that the
cell is formatted as "date" format to display "March 17, 2008". Thought it
was Data Validation but no such luck. Any thoughts?

Thanks in advance

Where is the equal sign coming from? Are you saying that you type
"3/17/2008" and an equal sign pops up? When the equal sign is present, Excel
interprets this as 3 divided by 17 divided by 2008, which is a pretty small
number, and therefore 1/1/1900 in the 1900 date scheme.