Date problem (YYYY.MM.DD)

[LadyBonita]

I use Excel extensively for my genealogy which uses pre-1900 years. It is a
real problem that MS can not provide an add-in for xdate rather than having
to purchase PUP 6.0.

However, my problem is that I created a spreadsheet under MS Office 97 where
an Exhibit ID is YYYY.MM.DD ... but, when my new MS Office Excel 2003 opens
the file it changes the format and I can not re-format it to the YYYY.MM.DD
format accurately. Since this spreadsheet was my Index, it is critical that
I have the original, accurate Exhibit ID.

How can I do this? I have a backup of the original file if I can figure out
what I need to do to the Excel template / addins before opening the old
version.

Bonita

[Gary''s Student]

If you have a cell with a date in it, then select the cell and :

Format > Cell > Custon > and enter yyyy.mm.dd

this will make 12/25/2005 appear as 2005.12.25
--
Gary''s Student


"LadyBonita" wrote:

> I use Excel extensively for my genealogy which uses pre-1900 years. It is a
> real problem that MS can not provide an add-in for xdate rather than having
> to purchase PUP 6.0.
>
> However, my problem is that I created a spreadsheet under MS Office 97 where
> an Exhibit ID is YYYY.MM.DD ... but, when my new MS Office Excel 2003 opens
> the file it changes the format and I can not re-format it to the YYYY.MM.DD
> format accurately. Since this spreadsheet was my Index, it is critical that
> I have the original, accurate Exhibit ID.
>
> How can I do this? I have a backup of the original file if I can figure out
> what I need to do to the Excel template / addins before opening the old
> version.
>
> Bonita