Ignore formulas in Excel

[mikeman]

hi and thank you for coming in. so i am exporting my data from a software to excel but it keeps failing because my items in my software have signs such as = + - etc.. which makes excel stop for invalid entries. i need to transform my excel to work like a passive notepad and completely ignore formulas, entries, and corrections so then it will go smoothly. what do i need to do? (excel 2010)
thanks in advance!

 

[yky]

Can you append a space in front of the items so Excel will treat them as text?

 

[mikeman]

Can you append a space in front of the items so Excel will treat them as text?

No. And to add, all the symbols are a part of the items and come fist
example:
=.item

 

[yky]

I would use notepad or some other editors and replace "=" with " =" before importing to Excel.

 

[Brian from Maui]

Before importing, try formatting the whole worksheet as Text

 

[mikeman]

Before importing, try formatting the whole worksheet as Text

Thanks for the help but it didn't do it. The software open a New file after export is complete so you can't edit it before. I think really I need to find a way to disable excel from acting with formulas and be passive about text and symbols. There isn't a way to make it happen in the software settings?

 

[vlady]

You are doing it via The software to Excel

Before importing, try formatting the whole worksheet as Text

i think Brian wan'ts you to import from within excel.

 

[mfexcel]

how about after your export, you Replace all = with '=

 

[Drrellik]

you can try to convert the sheet to text before you import, but you will probably have to convert to text again after you import, try turning off automatic calculations and also under Data click on show formulas this will help with the = until you convert to text.