Excel formulas

[Monica_Brocklebank]

Version: 2008

How do I change the sheet display of a cell to display the answer to a formula and not the formula itself?

 

[Niek Otten]

The cell is probably formatted as text. Format as General and re-enter the formula (F2, ENTER)

--
Kind regards,

Niek Otten
Microsoft MVP - Excel


| Version: 2008
|
| How do I change the sheet display of a cell to display the answer to a formula and not the formula itself?

 

[CyberTaz]

Hello Monica -

The default in Excel is to do exactly as you want, so if it isn't doing so
(especially if it's the only one) the first thing to be sure of is that the
formula is immediately preceded by an = and that it contains no spaces or
other illegal characters. Otherwise it's simply recognized as a text string.

If the formula is constructed properly & it's still displaying in the cell
it's probably the same situation for all cells containing formulas. To
correct it go to Excel> Preferences> View & clear the checkbox for Show
Formulas. Alternatively you can use Control+` to toggle the display of
formulas/results... Which is quite likely how it accidentally got that way
in the first place

HTH |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

 

[CyberTaz]

Hi Niek -

Definitely another possible cause (which I overlooked) but your fix doesn't
work for me. F2 does the Cut, but Enter (or return) doesn't paste the
formula back in. I find that either F2 or Command+X, then change the
formatting followed by F4 or Command+V does do the trick

Regards |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

 

[Niek Otten]

Sorry Bob,

That was a Windows answer

--
Kind regards,

Niek Otten
Microsoft MVP - Excel

| Hi Niek -
|
| Definitely another possible cause (which I overlooked) but your fix doesn't
| work for me. F2 does the Cut, but Enter (or return) doesn't paste the
| formula back in. I find that either F2 or Command+X, then change the
| formatting followed by F4 or Command+V does do the trick
|
| Regards |:>)
| Bob Jones
| [MVP] Office:Mac
|
|
|
| On 9/14/08 3:05 PM, in article (e-mail address removed), "Niek
|
| > The cell is probably formatted as text. Format as General and re-enter the
| > formula (F2, ENTER)
|

 

[CyberTaz]

Ahhhh! In that case it works like a charm - the Mac equivalent is Control+U,
followed by return which does indeed convert the text back to a working
formula if the formatting change is made prior to the keystrokes... In fact,
it's even more efficient than the other methods I offered - Thanks!

The F2 threw me off 'cause on a Mac it's a Cut equivalent rather than an
Edit in Cell equivalent - but I'm sure you knew that ;->

Regards |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac