Unable to Convert Date in Excel

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awallsy Posts 3 Registration date Friday 18 September 2015 Status Member Last seen 21 September 2015 - 18 Sep 2015 à 13:59
Ambucias Posts 47312 Registration date Monday 1 February 2010 Status Moderator Last seen 28 March 2026 - 22 Sep 2015 à 16:42
I am trying to change all of the dates in an excel spreadsheet to the mm/dd/yyyy format, but when I go to format the cells, it does not change, even when I have tried a custom format. In the format cells window, it says that it is currently set at *3/14/2001, but it is appearing as Apr 1 2013, Apr 3 2013 ...etc. Is there any way to format all of the cells the way that I want them? I have 1000+ dates, so I really do not have the time to go in and manually change all of them.
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4 responses

Mazzaropi Posts 1983 Registration date Monday 16 August 2010 Status Contributor Last seen 24 May 2023 147
18 Sep 2015 à 19:23
awallsy, Good evening.

If your test came as FALSE then ALL your dates are TEXT.
If all dates follow the same pattern that you mentioned, so I'm able to help you to fix it.

Suppose your date are at column A.

Date at A2 = Apr 1 2013

B2 --> Formula
=DATE(RIGHT(A2,4),VLOOKUP(LEFT(A2,3),$E$2:$F$13,2,FALSE);MID(A2,5,LEN(A2)-9))

Month Table
.....E......F
2...Jan...1
3...Feb...2
4...Mar...3
5...Apr...4
6...Mai...5
7...Jun...6
8...Jul....7
9...Aug...8
10..Sep..9
11..Oct..10
12..Nov..11
13..Dec..12

B2 --> Result --> 01/04/2013

I did an example with a formula implemented to help you:
http://speedy.sh/9Q5Cf/18-09-2015-EN-Kioskea-Date-Convert-TEXT-to-REAL-DATE-OK.xlsx
Now that the date are real date you can change a format using a cell menu format. Try it.

IF you prefer there is another formula.
No table.

B2 --> =DATE(RIGHT(A2,4),ROUNDUP(FIND(LEFT(A2,3),"janfebmaraprmaijunjulaugsepoctnovdec")/3,0),MID(A2,5,LEN(A2)-9))

I prefer the first method.
Is more profissional and elegant way.

Is that what you're looking for?
I hope it helps.
--
Belo Horizonte, Brasil.
Marcílio Lobão
awallsy Posts 3 Registration date Friday 18 September 2015 Status Member Last seen 21 September 2015
21 Sep 2015 à 12:15
Hello again,

I tried both formulas and neither worked, and I think I know why - I just realized that the dates are also showing a time after them as well. For example "Apr 3 2013 4:32PM"
Mazzaropi Posts 1983 Registration date Monday 16 August 2010 Status Contributor Last seen 24 May 2023 147
21 Sep 2015 à 13:49
awallsy, Good afternoon.

Try to use:

B2 -->
=DATE(MID(A2,FIND(":",A2)-6,4), VLOOKUP(LEFT(A2,3), $E$2:$F$13,2,FALSE), MID(A2,5,LEN(A2)-16))

Is that what you're looking for?
I hope it helps.
--
Belo Horizonte, Brasil.
Marcílio Lobão
Yes, that worked! Thank you very much for your help!
Mazzaropi Posts 1983 Registration date Monday 16 August 2010 Status Contributor Last seen 24 May 2023 147
18 Sep 2015 à 14:54
awallsy, Good afternoon.

The source of the problem can be varied.

These dates were imported from another application?

These dates may be as text to Excel, so he can not change format other than by formula.

Take a test:
Select a cell containing one of these dates;
Somewhere use the formula: = ISNUMBER (CELL WITH DATE).

If the answer is TRUE, simply means that the field is really a date.
If it is FALSE means that Excel is considering this date as TEXT.

Please let us know the result of the test so we can advise you effectively.
awallsy Posts 3 Registration date Friday 18 September 2015 Status Member Last seen 21 September 2015
18 Sep 2015 à 17:34
Hello,

Thank you for the response. It came up as false.
Ambucias Posts 47312 Registration date Monday 1 February 2010 Status Moderator Last seen 28 March 2026 11,166
22 Sep 2015 à 16:42
Marcilio is a wizard!