XL: Converting Dates from yy/mm/dd to mm/dd/yy Format

ID: Q113616

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 4.0, 4.0a, 5.0, 5.0c
Microsoft Excel for Windows 95, version 7.0
Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows

SUMMARY

Files imported from mainframes and other systems may contain dates in the format yy/mm/dd. These date formats are not recognized by Microsoft Excel and are imported as text strings.

WORKAROUNDS

Method 1: Convert Text to Columns

In Microsoft Excel versions 5.x, 7.0, and 97, the following steps convert the data to correctly formatted dates as serialized date numbers.

1. Highlight all dates. On the Data menu, click Text To Columns. This

   opens dialog 1 of 3 of the Convert Text to Columns Wizard.

2. In step 1, click Delimited for Original Data Type. Click Next.

3. In step 2, click the Tab checkbox. Click Next.

4. In step 3, click the Date option button. Click YMD in the list of date

   formats. Your original data will be overwritten unless you enter a
   new destination. (The default value is the first cell of the range that
   you highlighted in step 1 above. Click Finish.

Method 2: Use a Formula

In any version of Microsoft Excel, to convert the date text to a serial number, enter the following formula in the worksheet:

   B2: =DATEVALUE(MID(A2,4,2)&"/"&RIGHT(A2,2)&"/"&LEFT(A2,2))

The above formula assumes that the date to be converted is in cell A2.

Method 3: Use a Macro

Microsoft Excel 4.0 Macro Example:

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   http://www.microsoft.com/support/supportnet/refguide/

The following macro converts the date, to a serial number. If the separator between the yy mm and dd values is not a forward slash (/), then modify the SEARCH statements within the macro, replacing all occurrences of the forward slash with the appropriate character.

 A1:  Convert_Date
 A2:  =SEARCH("/",ACTIVE.CELL())
 A3:  year=MID(ACTIVE.CELL(),1,A2-1)
 A4:  =SEARCH("/",ACTIVE.CELL(),A2+1)
 A5:  month=MID(ACTIVE.CELL(),A2+1,A4-A2-1)
 A6:  day=MID(ACTIVE.CELL(),A4+1,2)
 A7:  =FORMULA(DATEVALUE(month&"/"&day&"/"&year))
 A8:  =SELECT("r[1]c")
 A9:  =IF(ACTIVE.CELL()<>"",GOTO(A2),RETURN())

The above macro assumes the following:

All the dates are organized in one vertical column.
The active cell is the first date to be converted in the column.
There is an empty cell at the end of the column of dates.

Additional query words: 4.00 5.00 5.00c 7.00 8.00 97 XL97

Keywords          : xlmhowto xlformula 
Version           : WINDOWS:97,7.0,5.0,5.0c,4.0,4.0a
Platform          : WINDOWS

Last Reviewed: May 17, 1999