Date formatting not converting the value to appropriate date

[Sum]

Hi,
I mentioned 01.01.2015 in one cell (the cell format by default is general) and through format cells select Date format 14 March 2001. Yet the display doesn't change. Even, F2 on cell and enter is not effective though I don't prefer this method.
I have multiple values in one column so i request some auto method to apply to change the display to appropriate date format.

Thanks in advance.

[Richard Buttrey]

Hi,

Is the 'date' you have entered a number?

Test with
=ISNUMBER(A1)

I suspect you have entered text.

[NeedForExcel]

You do not add a date to Excel that way.. 01.01.2015. It will be entered as Text

Insert a Date like this - 01/01/2015. The safest way to enter a Date according to me is by using the =DATE function.

If your date is a date (Number) and not Text, only then you can have your date formatting

[Sum]

hi,
Thanks for your replies.

Below steps resolved my problem:
1. Replace the '.' with '/' the cell value becomes 01/01/205
2. Apply this to all the values in column.
3. Copy paste the values in next column as value only.
4. Change the format of this to Date.
Problem: even though here format is changed without double clicking the cell, the display was not updated. As I mentioned there were multiple values hence it was not possible for me to do it for each cell. So,
5. Select the column and use 'Text to Columns' with delimited option (by default setting).

All dates displayed in the required format.

Thanks for your hint.