change default date formula

[maggiet]

I wish my dates to appear as January 1, 2009 in all my workbooks. Although I have checked "using 1904' in Excel Options it doesn't change. How do I change the default 01/01/2009 to the month written out.

[Cheeky Charlie]

The formats are applied on a per-cell basis so you'll need actively to change the format of existing cells if they're not formatted the way you like.

CC

[solnajeff]

Hi

As far as I am aware Excel displays as default the current Windows, short date format. From the format menu you would need to select for all relevant cells the specific format required (Format/Cells/Date).

Regards

Jeff

[maggiet]

Yes but the problem is I don't want numbers for the default date, I would like February 5, 2009. Is there anyway to get that?

[DonkeyOte]

...I have checked "using 1904' in Excel Options...

By doing the above you are changing the base date in XL such that day 1 becomes 2nd Jan 1904 as opposed to 1st Jan 1900... this will affect every date you enter (& date calculation you perform) so you must be 100% sure that this is what you want to do... in general this is not advised so before proceeding too far with your spreadsheet be sure you're using the appropriate date system.

[shg]

I would like February 5, 2009. Is there anyway to get that?

As solnajeff suggested, select the cells of interest and format them as mmmm d, yyyy

I would add my caution to DO's: don't change to 1904 data format unless you know exactly what you're doing and the consequences.

[Cheeky Charlie]

I would add my caution to DO's: don't change to 1904 data format unless you know exactly what you're doing and the consequences

Think it's worth 3rding this point; it doesn't do what you're trying to do and it can cause untold misery, any searchers please don't think this action will solve the question raised

CC