Formula does not evaluate

[Nephroid]

I am currently running Excel 2003 on XP_SP1

Every now and then when I type in a formula, Excel will not evaluate it.
i.e. when I type in "=2+3" the cell will display "=2+3" instead of "5"

When I try to evaluate the formula using the evaluate button on the formula
tool bar it says "The currently being evaluated contains a constant" which it
clearly does not. I have tried saving and reopening the document but the
error still remains.

Please help. This is driving me crazy.

 

[Frank Rudd via OfficeKB.com]

I am currently running Excel 2003 on XP_SP1

Every now and then when I type in a formula, Excel will not evaluate it.
i.e. when I type in "=2+3" the cell will display "=2+3" instead of "5"

When I try to evaluate the formula using the evaluate button on the formula
tool bar it says "The currently being evaluated contains a constant" which it
clearly does not. I have tried saving and reopening the document but the
error still remains.

Please help. This is driving me crazy.

I don't if this is just too simple, but if the cell was formatted as text
before you entered the formula, even if you reformat it to number it will
still only show =2+3. You might need to copy and paste special into another
cell, as just copying and pasting doesn't seem to cut it. I realize that's
not much help...

 

[Stykman22]

If it is formatted as text, you can reformat it as general using the "Text to
Columns" function, too, under the "Data" tab.

 

[ED007]

OK,

I am haveing a similar problem. I have a column with formulas that work
fine UNTIL I make a change. For example if the formula is =A1+A2 the cell
displays the correct result. However, if I edit the formula at all the cell
displays the new formula not the result. This remains even if I change the
formula back to the original. The only way I have found to foce the cell to
show the formula results is to clear the cell and retype the formula from
scratch.

I have tried both suggestions listed in this thread without success.

Any more ideas?