Convert Date to specific number format without crashing large spreadsheet

I have a spreadsheet with 600,000 records. One column is filled with dates in the format 12/02/2013. I need to convert those dates to number in the format 20131202.

These are the steps I've been using successfully on much smaller spreadsheets:

1. copy and paste my dates into a blank spreadsheet
2. convert to correct format using =TEXT(A2, "yyyymmdd")
3. copy--> paste back into my original spreadsheet as a value
4. then right click and select "convert to number"

Problem is, when I try this on a spreadsheet this large, it crashes. Any help would be greatly apprreciated!

If you used this formula:

=TEXT(A2, "yyyymmdd")*1

then you would have the numeric value directly, so you won't need step 4.

Hope this helps.

Pete

Sorry but this didn't work. Perhaps because of my version, Excel 7?

You are my new hero! Works like a charm. Thank you so much Pete! Vicki

You're welcome, Vicki - thanks for feeding back.

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Pete

Done and done. Thanks again!