Excel User Tips

Converting non-numbers to actual values

Q. I often import data into Excel from various applications, including Access. I've found that values are sometimes imported as text, which means I can't use them in calculations or with commands that require values. I've tried formatting the cells as values, with no success. The only way I've found to convert the text into values is to edit the cell and then press Enter. Is there an easier way to make these conversions?

This is a common problem in Excel. The good news is the Excel 2002 is able to identify such cells and you can easily correct them If you're using an older version of Excel, you can use this method:

Select any empty cell
Enter the value 1 into that cell
Choose Edit, Copy
Select all the cells that need to be converted
Choose Edit, Paste Special
In the Paste Special dialog box, select the Multiply option, then click OK.

This operation multiplies each cell by 1, and in the process converts the cell's contents to a value.