Dates on Works spreadsheet

Try this, which is based on MS-Excel. Highlight all the cells in which dates will appear and format the cells for the date display. In Excel, a right mouse click will get an options menu, and date is one of the options.

Again, I'm only hoping this is going to work in Works. I will mention that MicroSoft Works is considered an oxymoron by some.

Make sure your column width is wide enough to accommodate the number of characters in the longest date too.

That sounds more likely, actually.

it even matters if you have bold on - when dealing with the width

I use MS works for checks and things too. On my machine it works like this;
hi-lite the column that you are having trouble with and then, from the toolbar, click "format" then click field. then be sure that the date selection is checked. After that, if the field is wide enough, you should have no trouble.

Incidently, if you hold down ctrl and then press the colon/semi colon key, the date appears automatically.

Dates on spreadsheets
I've tried everyone's suggestions (except the implied one to ditch Works Spreadsheet; this is not really an option). Unfortunately, whatever I do, I still get the #######, and not numerals.

The dates are entered in short form (Aug 24, May 5, etc) leaving plenty of room in the cell. I'm not using Bold, just regular type. I've tried highlighting the date cells, but when I try right-clicking and choosing a date format, same thing - ########. I tried clicking Format on the toolbar, but it doesn't have "field".

What I am trying to do is enter dates for recently made-out checks which are inserted into the alphabetical order by organization name. And now I have (mostly) properly typed dates, interspersed with yesterday's ####'s.

What next

When you do the input for the dates, what exactly are you typing? Please be very specific with each keystroke you are using.

Oh, also, how old is your PC? If it is old enough, you may be experiencing some of the old Y2K problems I used to have with my laptop before I finally ditched it.

Also, you say you have properly formatted dates interspersed with the ####'s. This tells me that it is indeed the method you are using to input the dates. Please compare the raw data in the two different cells. It is my guess that in one of them, you are using the prefix to signify an equation and in another you are not doing so. The program may be having trouble distinguishing between 9-28-03 being a date or a subtraction equation.

It has been too long for me to remember whether Works has a global formatting feature. If it does, check that too.

Dates on Works spreadsheet
OK, Butrflynet, here goes. The entries that I type are all of the "Nov 30" kind. There are no hyphens, equal signs or punctuation, just the letters and two digits. I use Arial 14-point type, and have the problem only with dates.

My computer is 2 1/2 years old, strictly for home purposes, and isn't used particularly heavily; I am the only user.

When I first got this machine it came with Works 2001, and since I'd been happy with an older Works, I kept this one for the spreadsheet feature, otherwise I use Word 2000. This problem first arose a couple of years agp, when I tried entering the current date at the top (under the title) of the sheet. Then suddenly it went away and I had no trouble. But yesterday it started up again. I had not been entering the dates of the checks, but, for various reasons,needed to be able find the dates quickly, and it was easier than constantly looking at the checkbook, so began to do it this year. But after working nicely all year, now this!

You're typing in the alpha letters Nov? If so, THAT'S the problem.

Spreadsheets need the date to be input numerically so they can do the calculations necessary to be able to sort a list of dates sequentially.

If you go back and input all those numerically as 11-30 I am almost positive it will solve your problem.

If you wish to format the output of the date into an alpha-numeric phrase, follow the procedures others have suggested AFTER you've reinput the dates with numbers only.

Btw, this is why the problem suddenly reappeared. It didn't really reappear suddenly, you just resumed inputting dates again using the alpha-numeric method of input.

What tipped me off was when you gave the clue that it wasn't a constant, that it was interspersed. The fact that it started up again when you started inputting the dates again pretty much confirms it.

Dates on works spreadsheet
Thanks, Butrflynet. I'll try your suggestion. However, the odd thing is that I've been using the letter and number combination entry for several months with no trouble!

Anyway, I'll give it a whirl, and let you know.

Dates on Works spreadsheet
Okaaaay! Thank you, Butrflynet!

Why exactly I was sometimes able to make the combined letter/numerals entries, I guess I'll never know. I still think it should be possible, since there is no particular indication, such as a subject heading, that would tip off the computer that this is a date.

So anyway, I'm changing all the entries to strictly numerical, and all should be well.

Thanks again.

Dates on spreadsheet
Didn't mean to be rude and neglect everyone else who offered suggestions. Thank you all.

The first thing I thought of was column width. You did widen the column, didn't you?

Dates on spreadsheet
Oh, yes, it was always wide enough.

How are the cells formatted?

Dates on Works spreadsheet
Wy - "formatted" meaning, in this case??