How Can I Tell If Have Real Dates?

June 14, 2022 - by Bill Jelen

Problem: How can I tell if I have real dates or text dates? They look alike.

Two columns of dates. Other than the headings of "Real Dates" in A1 and "Text Dates" in C1, it is hard to tell which is which. — Figure 516. You can’t tell by looking if you have real dates.

Strategy: Go to the Formulas tab and click the Show Formulas icon. (You can also press Ctrl+`, this is the grave accent, often located on the same key as the Tilde, just below Esc on U.S. keyboards.) In Show Formulas mode, real dates will show as serial numbers. Text dates will stay as dates.

But if you choose Show Formulas mode, the text dates show as 41680. The Show Formulas will convert raal dates to their underlying serial numbers. — Figure 517. In Show Formulas mode, real dates show serial numbers.

Gotcha: Don’t forget to toggle out of Show Formulas mode.

This article is an excerpt from Power Excel With MrExcel

Title photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash