How To Keep Excel From Changing Numbers To Dates

How to stop Excel from changing numbers to dates

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Excel users frequently enter values that include slashes (/) for fractions or hyphens (-) for number ranges in cells. For example, some users might enter 1/2 (for half fractions) or 8-19 (for a numeric range). Nevertheless, Excel automatically formats values entered with slashes or hyphens to the engagement format. Thus, the software converts 1/two to 2-Jan and eight-19 to xix-Aug.

How can Users Finish Excel Changing Numbers to Dates?

one. Convert the Cell Formatting to Text

Users can stop Excel converting numbers to date formats by irresolute the category for the Excel cells to text. To do that, select the range of cells that will include the numbers by property the left mouse button and dragging the cursor over them.
Correct-click inside the selected prison cell range and select the Format Cells option, which opens the window in the snapshot directly below.
Select Text on the Number tab.
Then click the OK button.
Now enter the numbers in the text format cells. Excel volition not convert whatsoever fractional values, such as i/2, entered in the text cells to dates.
To change the prison cell format for a whole spreadsheet, click the square at the summit left corner of the sheet shown directly beneath. Then right-click, select Format Cells, and click Text.
Users can likewise change spreadsheet jail cell formats past clicking the number driblet-downward menu on the Home tab shown directly below. Select Text on that drop-downwards menu.

2. Enter a Space or Apostrophe (') Before the Numbers

Alternatively, users can stop Excel converting numbers to dates by adding a space or apostrophe when inbound numbers. For example, instead of entering 1/two in a spreadsheet prison cell, enter '1/ii in the jail cell instead. The cell will then display the fraction without any apostrophe as in the shot directly below.

$A fraction entered in Excel stop excel from changing numbers to dates$

Users tin likewise enter a space before the number to ensure Excel doesn't convert it to date. However, the prison cell volition nevertheless include the space entered. The number will get a fractional number in the spreadsheet jail cell when users enter a 0 and a space earlier the fraction.

So, that's how users can ensure Excel doesn't catechumen numbers to dates. So users tin enter slashes and hyphens in cells for partial numbers and numeric ranges.

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