Keyboard Formatting of a Cell   

In another spreadsheet program long ago, it was possible to type an 
apostrophe preceding text that is being entered into a numbers-formatted 
cell, the the text was treated as text. For example, in Excel 2003, if I 
type "04/04/08" in a General cell, Excel converts the entry to 
"4/4/2008". If I typed "'04/04/08" (an apostrophe precedes the numbers 
and slashes), the information was entered as text as if the cell were 
separately formatted for text. Is there is similar capability in Excel?

date: Mon, 07 Jul 2008 15:48:07 -0400   author:   mcp6453

RE: Keyboard Formatting of a Cell   

Yep, same (at least in the test I just did). It will convert it to text.  If 
you have automatic error checking on it will note that it is a number or date 
converted to text.

"mcp6453" wrote:

> In another spreadsheet program long ago, it was possible to type an 
> apostrophe preceding text that is being entered into a numbers-formatted 
> cell, the the text was treated as text. For example, in Excel 2003, if I 
> type "04/04/08" in a General cell, Excel converts the entry to 
> "4/4/2008". If I typed "'04/04/08" (an apostrophe precedes the numbers 
> and slashes), the information was entered as text as if the cell were 
> separately formatted for text. Is there is similar capability in Excel?
>

date: Mon, 7 Jul 2008 13:33:01 -0700   author:   tim m

RE: Keyboard Formatting of a Cell   

Should work the same way, but start with the single quote and omit both 
double quotes.
-- 
Gary''s Student - gsnu2007j


"mcp6453" wrote:

> In another spreadsheet program long ago, it was possible to type an 
> apostrophe preceding text that is being entered into a numbers-formatted 
> cell, the the text was treated as text. For example, in Excel 2003, if I 
> type "04/04/08" in a General cell, Excel converts the entry to 
> "4/4/2008". If I typed "'04/04/08" (an apostrophe precedes the numbers 
> and slashes), the information was entered as text as if the cell were 
> separately formatted for text. Is there is similar capability in Excel?
>

date: Mon, 7 Jul 2008 13:39:01 -0700   author:   Gary''s Student

Re: Keyboard Formatting of a Cell   

tim m wrote:
> Yep, same (at least in the test I just did). It will convert it to text.  If 
> you have automatic error checking on it will note that it is a number or date 
> converted to text.
> 
> "mcp6453" wrote:
> 
>> In another spreadsheet program long ago, it was possible to type an 
>> apostrophe preceding text that is being entered into a numbers-formatted 
>> cell, the the text was treated as text. For example, in Excel 2003, if I 
>> type "04/04/08" in a General cell, Excel converts the entry to 
>> "4/4/2008". If I typed "'04/04/08" (an apostrophe precedes the numbers 
>> and slashes), the information was entered as text as if the cell were 
>> separately formatted for text. Is there is similar capability in Excel?
>>
Strange. It's working for me, too, now.

Thanks

date: Tue, 08 Jul 2008 08:57:43 -0400   author:   mcp6453