Note – This is valid for older versions of Excel. Solution: Right-click the cell containing the Date, select ‘Format Cells’, click ‘Date’ present under Number à Category and finally choose a Date format of choice (Example: DD/MM/YYYY format). The cell is set to the Number format, which converts the input to a numerical value. This implies that the cell’s number format is not in sync with what the user is trying to achieve. However, on pressing the ‘Enter’ key the value of the cell converts to a ‘Number.’

The typed-in date changes to a number, text, another format of date (for example, MM/DD/YYYY may change to DD/MM/YYYY), or any other format that Excel does not recognize.Īn example of Excel Date Format issue is as follows:Ī user enters or types a Date - September 6 in a cell of Excel file. A few common Excel formatting issues and how to fix them For each of these different Excel format issues - Font Type and Size changed, Chart formatting, Conditional Formatting Rules, Text formatted to Number, Number formatted to Text or Date, Dates formatted to Numbers, etc.

Read on to know specific methods to fix the various Excel formatting issues.Ī formatting issue in Excel may affect fonts, charts, shading, colors, borders, number formats, file formats, cell formats, hyperlink formats, and several other elements. These Excel issues require proper and correct troubleshooting so that the data in the Excel files is meaningful and usable. Summary – Formatting issues in Excel are common that result in data loss and impede businesses.

Format date cells in excel not working