After importing data into a worksheet from text files and databases, I noticed that Excel converts some data to date serial values and other data to scientific notation. I want the information to appear in my worksheet exactly as it did in the database. Is there any way to change it back?
A1:
No, unfortunately. When Excel sees a value that looks like a date or time or scientific notation, either when you type a value into a cell or when you import a database, it converts the value automatically as you type or import. There is no way to reverse this conversion. If you have serial numbers that use the format ##X####, where each # is a number and the X is a letter, Excel converts any serial number that contains the letter E in that position to scientific notation. Your best option is to edit the text or database file, adding an apostrophe to the beginning of each field that contains values Excel will try to convert. In that case, Excel imports the data in text format exactly as it appears.
I formatted text in a cell using more than one font, and I want to restore Excel's default font format. I opened the Format Cells dialog box, clicked the Font tab, and checked the Normal Font box once, but my formatting stays exactly as it was. What's the secret?
A1:
When you have multiple font formats applied to different words or characters in a cell, the Normal Font check box is checked, but it's grayed out. To restore the default formatting, click once to clear the box (exactly the opposite of what you normally do), and then click OK to close the dialog box. Now reopen the dialog box and check the Normal Font box again. This time your change will stick.
I applied conditional formatting to a cell, but the formatting doesn't appear on some cells, even though the data in those cells meets the conditions I specified.
A1:
If you specify multiple conditions and more than one is true for a given cell, Excel applies the formats of the first true condition it encounters and ignores the second and third conditions. If you've defined conditions that have the potential to overlap, arrange them in order so that the most important one (or the one least likely to be true) is first in the list.
