AFAIK, the four year offset you're seeing in the dates is because the original spreadsheet was created on a machine using the 1904 date system, so when you open it in your machine, which uses the 1900 one, the dates already entered will be displayed four years off. Nothing you change on the format will correct the dates, as the original sequential number will still count from 1904 onwards; conversely, anything you type in your Windows machine will display correctly. To convert the existing dates you could try copying them into another column, formatted as numbers, then adding to them the difference, in days, between the starting dates of the two date systems (01/01/1900 to 02/01/1904), which would be 1462, and formatting the result as dates. Wilson At 08:19 2/7/2009 -0700,Wendall Oakes wrote: >I have typed in 39993.75 and you are correct I do get the 2nd of July. >However, I am trying to change the formatting of the date from example >7/02/2009 to 07/02/09 and it will not automatically change. >It will change if I hand type in each date. >The formula I use to extract out data that I don't want will not change no >matter what I do. >I used another column to store this data that will not change. > >Thank you for all your help, you have been very helpful. >Wendall >--- On Thu, 7/2/09, David Smart <smartware@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: > > >From: David Smart <smartware@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> >Subject: [mso] Re: Excel Date Format Problem >To: mso@xxxxxxxxxxxxx >Date: Thursday, July 2, 2009, 4:57 AM > > >I don't think that the star at the front has anything to do with the date >situation. > >What date do you see if you enter the number 39996.75 into a date field? If >everything is working properly, you should see today (2nd of July) with a >time of 6 pm if you're displaying time too. > >If you're in 1904 mode, then this number will show a date of 3rd of July >2013. > >IIRC, the two formats that have the asterisks are triggers for Excel to use >the short and long date formats from the operating system settings - i.e. >locale specific and user preference specific. Certainly, these asterisks >are not an error, and I don't think they can switch you to a different date >system. > >> At this point there is no way to remove or change the (star at the front). >> The format stays the same when I copy the cells. > >This is quite correct and is as it should be. If you want to change the >cell's format, simply select a different one. Most of the predefined date >formats do not have the asterisk. > >Regards, Dave S -------------------------------------------------------------- ************************************************************* You are receiving this mail because you subscribed to mso@xxxxxxxxxxxxx or MicrosoftOffice@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx To send mail to the group, simply address it to mso@xxxxxxxxxxxxx To Unsubscribe from this group, visit the group's homepage and use the dropdown menu at the top. This will allow you to unsubscribe your email address or change your email settings to digest or vacation (no mail). //www.freelists.org/webpage/mso To be able to share files with the group, you must join our Yahoo sister group. This group will not allow for posting of emails, but will allow you to join and share problem files, templates, etc.: http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/MicrosoftOffice . This group is for FILE SHARING ONLY. If you are using Outlook and you see a lot of unnecessary code in your email messages, read these instructions that explain why and how to fix it: http://personal-computer-tutor.com/abc3/v28/greg28.htm *************************************************************