Turn off automatic formating of data

[solvberg]

Version: 2008
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)
Processor: Intel

When one opens an Excel sheet, it seems like Excel is interpreting data different from one cell to another.

In Excel 2000 it did not automatic format cell values as ii seems doing in 2008 for Mac.

My wife shouts at the Excel every time she type in i.e. 1-2, which does not mean 1 minus 2, but 1 to 2 pieces of something.

Most not mathematicians, engineers or economics, often use Excel to present data in table form. They are often not interested in any calculations at all. Then they are furious when excel seems to have its own will of how it interprets what is typed into a cell.

Is there a way to turn of automatic interpreting of how Excel want to show values?

Is it possible to set excel to use text as default when something is typed or imported into a worksheet? And rather turn on general or number format if calculations are needed. And that such settings should not be changed by updates.

That would be most appreciated options.

Hope to hear from someone soon.

Best regards, Jan

 

[Jim Gordon MVP]

Version: 2008
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)
Processor: Intel

When one opens an Excel sheet, it seems like Excel is interpreting data different from one cell to another.

In Excel 2000 it did not automatic format cell values as ii seems doing in 2008 for Mac.

My wife shouts at the Excel every time she type in i.e. 1-2, which does not mean 1 minus 2, but 1 to 2 pieces of something.

Most not mathematicians, engineers or economics, often use Excel to present data in table form. They are often not interested in any calculations at all. Then they are furious when excel seems to have its own will of how it interprets what is typed into a cell.

Is there a way to turn of automatic interpreting of how Excel want to show values?

Is it possible to set excel to use text as default when something is typed or imported into a worksheet? And rather turn on general or number format if calculations are needed. And that such settings should not be changed by updates.

That would be most appreciated options.

Hope to hear from someone soon.

Best regards, Jan

Hi,

Excel 2008 and Excel 2000 both treat number and text entry exactly the
same way.

If you want to do a calculation start the cell entry with an = sign
=2-1 does a calculation and displays the result in the cell and the
formula in the formula bar.

2-1 is Feb 1 of the current year

Put a single quote in front to tell Excel to keep it as text
'2-1 displays 2-1, but you can't do any calculations on text.

The Format menu can be used to set a cell or range of cells as a
specific format. So if you never want Excel to calculate when you enter
values you can do that, too.

-Jim

--
Jim Gordon
Mac MVP

MVPs are independent experts who are not affiliated with Microsoft.


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