Turn Automatic Date Format Off

Hi guys I'm new to the forum.

I'm trying to copy and paste cells that include information such as "12-2", "7-8", "3-21" but as soon as I paste the data into Excel it is immediately changing those numbers to dates (like "Feb-12", "Aug-07", "Mar-21"). I have tried to format the squares as numbers only but it changes them to huge numbers. I just need the numbers to be left in the format of "8-2" or possibly changed to a standered +/- equation so that the cell of "8-2" would turn into "6".

It sounds like it could be possible but I'm not sure how to do it. If anyone could help me that would be awesome.

Thanks

You can format the cells to text, then re-enter, but that won't show you the result, just the sum. If you want the sum to evaluate, type an = sign in front of it, =8-2 will evaluate to 6.

HTH