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Column date format does not change until cell is selected 2

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jackiev

MIS
Aug 16, 2000
56
US
Have an Excel spreadsheet with a column (text) of times:
08:32:45
13:20:43
06:28:49
06:28:49
08:30:49
08:30:49
06:43:45
When I select the column as a whole & change the cell format to Number>Time> 1:30:55PM there is no visual
change. Then if I select(dbl click) EACH CELL in the column, the format changes occur for that cell when it is exited. There are about 1000 populated cells in this column. What else (besides a dbl click each)can I do to get the change done.
I have also tried copy/paste..
 
Not real sure why it would be acting that way...I just recreated the scenario with over a thousand cells using time format 1:30:55. I then highlighted the column and right clicked to select cell format. I then set the time format to 1:30:55 PM. when I hit "OK" the cells were all immediately changed to the new format.

Is there anything else that it is doing like this? Have you experienced this type of thing before with other files?
 
Jackie: Excel isn't recognizing the input as numbers, but as text, even after you change it. To force Excel to see it as numbers, for this and a whole lot of other reasons, put a 1 in any cell and copy the one. Select those 1000 cells and hit Edit-Paste special-Multiply. You may need to format the cells again after that.
techsupportgirl@home.com
Brainbench MVP for Microsoft Word
 
Thanks. The paste-special-multiply did the trick. I really appreciate the help!!
 
Glad to help, Jackie. It's pretty common for this to work when other tricks don't, particularly if you're getting your data from a different source, like a database or the web.
techsupportgirl@home.com
Brainbench MVP for Microsoft Word
 
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