Have a long column of numbers in Column A, with a blank column,
Column B next to it.
I wish to have Column B filled with the numbers in Column A divided
by 1000.
So, I put in B1: =(A1/1000)
And then I thought I would just drag it downward for all the other rows
Keeps coming back with an error (before any dragging).
(Column A is Formatted as "Numbers")
What am I doing wrong, please ?
Not tell us what the Excel error in the first place.
Without that, we can only make wild guesses, which might lead to
misdirection and waste your time.
First, are you saying that =A1/1000 worked, and problems arise only
when you copy that down? In other words, =A1/1000 works, but not
=A2/1000 for example?
Even if A1 contains numerical text instead of bona fide numbers, the
formula A1/1000 will work. Note that even if column A is formatted as
Number, you can enter text.
One possibility: the numerical text in column A has some non-breaking
spaces (ASCII 160). This can happen when you copy from a web page and
paste into Excel.
In that case, Paste-Special and Text-to-Columns will not rectify the
problem. Instead, you might need to create a parallel colulmn of
formulas of the form =SUBSTITUTE(A1,CHAR(160),""). Then you copy the
new column and use paste-special-value to replace column A. Finally,
you can remove the new column.
Note: It would be be prudent to also change the numerical text to
bona fide numbers at the same time. Use the formula =--
SUBSTITUTE(A1,CHAR(160),""). Note the addition of the "--" operators.
If that wild-guess does not work, I suggest that you post some
examples. And tell us what LEN(A2) and TYPE(A2) return.
Better still: upload an example Excel file to a file-sharing web
site, then post the URL in a response here. One such file-sharing web
site:
http://www.mediafire.com.
