##### in date columns

[Roland67]

Probably a simple question but would appreciate help...

I have a schedule which looks perfect on my monitor and in reports.
However, when it is emailed to someone else as an attachment it opens up with
###### values in the date columns. I know all they need to do is widen the
columns but I would like for that to not be the case. Some folks are either
not project literate or just need to print the schedule w/o thinking. What
do I need to do to avoid having this occur?

Thanks!

 

[JulieS]

Hi Roland,

My guess would be that you are using a different date format (shorter) than
the recipients of the project file. In Tools>Options, View tab they may be
using a date format that shows time as well as date. You may wish to switch
to one of the longer date formats, adjust your column widths as needed and
then try again.

Hope this helps. Let us know how you get along.

Julie

 

[Dale Howard [MVP]]

Roland67 --

I assume that your are sending the original .mpp file for the project and
that the folks receiving the e-mail actually open the project in Microsoft
Project. The problem is caused by a setting on their instance of Microsoft
Project. Each of the folks at the other end should do the following:

1. Open Microsoft Project
2. Click Tools - Options
3. Select the View tab
4. Select the second date format from the top of the list (in 2003 it is
the "1/28/02" format)
5. Click OK

This is a global setting that impacts every project each of them opens. You
cannot specify this setting in the actual Microsoft Project plan, so each
user will have to do this himself/herself in Microsoft Project.

An alternate approach would take a little bit of time, but it might be worth
it to you. You can actually specify the date format displayed in each Table
in the project plan. Here's how to do it:

1. Open the project in question
2. Apply the Gantt Chart view
3. Click View - Table - More Tables
4. Select the Entry table and click Edit
5. Change the Date Format value from "Default" to the "1/28/02" format and
click OK
6. Select the most common Tables view in the project and repeat steps 3-4
for each Table (for example, you might edit the Cost, Work, and Variance
tables)
7. Click the Close button
8. Save and e-mail the project

Please note, however, that if the folks at the other end apply a Table in
the project that you have not edited using steps 1-7 above, they will still
see the ##### signs unless they do steps 1-5 at the top. Hope this helps.

 

[Roland67]

Thanks for the posts. I'll update my files and hopefully never have this
problem again!

 

[JulieS]

Hi Roland,
You're welcome and thanks for the feedback.
Julie