Using NOW in Narrow-Columned Cell

Last reviewed: October 31, 1994
Article ID: Q48931

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 2.x, 3.0, 4.0, 4.0a, 5.0
Microsoft Excel for OS/2 versions 2.2, 2.21, and 3.0

SYMPTOMS

When using the NOW function in a narrow column, if the column is not wide enough to display the entire date, ##### is displayed.

CAUSE

Excel does not allow the date to "spill" into adjacent cells, even when the cell is formatted as a date (for example, "m/d/yy" or "mmmm dd, yyyy", using the Format Number command) because the data type is still a number.

WORKAROUND

To work around this constraint, use the following function:

   =TEXT(NOW(),"m/d/yy")

You can substitute any date format you want for the second argument of the TEXT function.

KBCategory: kbother
KBSubcategory:
Additional reference words: 5.00 2.00 2.01 2.10 2.20 3.00 3.0 2.0 2.1 2.2

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Last reviewed: October 31, 1994
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