Posts Tagged ‘ format numbers ’

Type a Fraction, get a Date!

April 12, 2012
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You want to type a fraction in Excel, but always get a date. How do you break this date?

The easy way is to put a ‘0’ (zero) and a space, in front of the fraction.

But what if you are typing a long row or column of cells with fractions. It’s time-consuming to put zeroes in front of each fraction. What to do?

  • Select the cells you want to change
  • Click Format from the Menu Bar
  • Click Cells
  • Click the Number tab, and then in the Category: window, select Fraction
  • Click the OK button to accept this display change.

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Originally posted 2010-12-13 10:54:39. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

“$” Symbols Aligned in a Column

April 9, 2012
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A Dollar is a Dollar? Not with Excel.

Type the following numbers in a column: 1000, 2000, 3000.

Change the number 1000 to Currency format:

Format -> Cells -> Currency -> OK

Change the number 2000 to Accounting format:

Format -> Cells -> Accounting -> OK

Now, change the column width to 12:

Format -> Columns -> Width -> 12 -> OK

Notice the $ symbol before the number 1000 is next to the first number, while the $ symbol before the number 2000 is not next to the first number, but next to the left-cell border.

Now, here is the twist. The Currency format category in the Format Cells dialog box is not the same as the Currency Style on the Formatting Toolbar.

Click on the number 3000, then click the $ symbol on the Formatting Toolbar. The $ symbol is next to the left border of the cell, which is the Accounting format. Go figure. Kind of like finding the Shutdown command in the Start button.

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Originally posted 2010-12-13 10:54:39. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Microsoft Excel Fractions Converted into Dates

April 5, 2012
By

For Excel 2003

You type a fraction in a cell, but it changes into a calendar date. How do you stop this from happening?

Select the cell or range of cells in a row or column. Click the Format menu, then click Cells. Click the Number tab, and then select Fraction. From the dialog box to the right of the Category box, choose the type of fraction you will enter into Excel, then click the OK button.

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Keep this article and more Microsoft Excel tips at your fingertips. Bookmark Your MS Excel Trainer or make Your MS Excel Trainer a Favorite.

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Originally posted 2010-12-13 10:54:39. Republished by Blog Post Promoter