Hi ecall,
There are a number of articles about this topic, and it is explained in
Excel¹s help files. I¹ve copied from one of Microsoft¹s web pages below.
-Jim
--
Jim Gordon
Mac MVP
MVPs are not Microsoft Employees
MVP info
Source:
<
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=214094>
By default, Excel for the Macintosh uses the 1904 date system and Excel for
Windows uses the 1900 date system. This means that when you type the serial
number 1 in Excel for the Macintosh and format it as a date, Excel displays
it as 1/2/1904 12:00 a.m. Excel for Windows displays the serial number 1 as
1/1/1900 12:00 a.m.
If you transfer files from Excel for the Macintosh to Excel for Windows,
this difference in the date systems should not cause a problem, because the
date system is stored in each file. However, if you copy and paste between
files with different date systems that originated on different platforms,
dates may be displayed four years and one day away from their correct date.
To change to the 1904 date system in Excel for Windows, follow these steps:
1. On the Tools menu, click Options.
2. Click the Calculation tab, and then select the 1904 date system check
box.
To change to the 1900 date system in Excel for the Macintosh, follow these
steps:
1. On the Tools menu, click Preferences.
2. Click the Calculation tab, and then clear the 1904 date system check
box.
