Hi,

I downloaded an excel spreadsheet from a website. Column A:B on the
spreadsheet is a reference for my vlookup formula in another worksheet.

The cell where my formula returns #N/A.

Say Column A5 reflects 2000.01

If I go to the specific cell (A5) and "manually type" the exact information
on the same cell (2000.01) then my formula will work!

After typing manually and my formula works referring to A5 I tried use
Column A5 as a base and use Format painter for the rest of Column A but all
the rows in column A does not work for my formula unless I type manually each
information on the cells in column A.

Please help.

Re: Cell Format - What's wrong? by Dave

Dave
Thu May 08 18:05:48 CDT 2008

Try a few functions that'll describe that cell (before you retype the value).

=istext(a1)
=isnumber(a1)
=len(a1)

My bet is that you're pasting extra characters into that cell--maybe extra
spaces or those HTML non-breaking spaces (char(160)'s).

Depending on what you find out, ...

David McRitchie has a macro that can help clean this:
http://www.mvps.org/dmcritchie/excel/join.htm#trimall
(look for "Sub Trimall()")

And if you're new to macros, you may want to read David's intro:
http://www.mvps.org/dmcritchie/excel/getstarted.htm



Danny wrote:
>
> Hi,
>
> I downloaded an excel spreadsheet from a website. Column A:B on the
> spreadsheet is a reference for my vlookup formula in another worksheet.
>
> The cell where my formula returns #N/A.
>
> Say Column A5 reflects 2000.01
>
> If I go to the specific cell (A5) and "manually type" the exact information
> on the same cell (2000.01) then my formula will work!
>
> After typing manually and my formula works referring to A5 I tried use
> Column A5 as a base and use Format painter for the rest of Column A but all
> the rows in column A does not work for my formula unless I type manually each
> information on the cells in column A.
>
> Please help.

--

Dave Peterson

Re: Cell Format - What's wrong? by Danny

Danny
Thu May 08 18:36:00 CDT 2008

You are absolutely right Mr. Peterson. Some are text, some are numbers but
most importantly, using =len(a1:a200), some rows comes with a different
number!

I'll go to the website you provided and hopefully, I'll be able to
"clean-up" the worksheet.

Thanks a lot.

"Dave Peterson" wrote:

> Try a few functions that'll describe that cell (before you retype the value).
>
> =istext(a1)
> =isnumber(a1)
> =len(a1)
>
> My bet is that you're pasting extra characters into that cell--maybe extra
> spaces or those HTML non-breaking spaces (char(160)'s).
>
> Depending on what you find out, ...
>
> David McRitchie has a macro that can help clean this:
> http://www.mvps.org/dmcritchie/excel/join.htm#trimall
> (look for "Sub Trimall()")
>
> And if you're new to macros, you may want to read David's intro:
> http://www.mvps.org/dmcritchie/excel/getstarted.htm
>
>
>
> Danny wrote:
> >
> > Hi,
> >
> > I downloaded an excel spreadsheet from a website. Column A:B on the
> > spreadsheet is a reference for my vlookup formula in another worksheet.
> >
> > The cell where my formula returns #N/A.
> >
> > Say Column A5 reflects 2000.01
> >
> > If I go to the specific cell (A5) and "manually type" the exact information
> > on the same cell (2000.01) then my formula will work!
> >
> > After typing manually and my formula works referring to A5 I tried use
> > Column A5 as a base and use Format painter for the rest of Column A but all
> > the rows in column A does not work for my formula unless I type manually each
> > information on the cells in column A.
> >
> > Please help.
>
> --
>
> Dave Peterson
>

Re: Cell Format - What's wrong? by Dave

Dave
Thu May 08 19:27:47 CDT 2008

Use a difference cell for each of the =len() formulas.

And only use a single cell in that formula:
=len(a1)
=len(a2)
....

Danny wrote:
>
> You are absolutely right Mr. Peterson. Some are text, some are numbers but
> most importantly, using =len(a1:a200), some rows comes with a different
> number!
>
> I'll go to the website you provided and hopefully, I'll be able to
> "clean-up" the worksheet.
>
> Thanks a lot.
>
> "Dave Peterson" wrote:
>
> > Try a few functions that'll describe that cell (before you retype the value).
> >
> > =istext(a1)
> > =isnumber(a1)
> > =len(a1)
> >
> > My bet is that you're pasting extra characters into that cell--maybe extra
> > spaces or those HTML non-breaking spaces (char(160)'s).
> >
> > Depending on what you find out, ...
> >
> > David McRitchie has a macro that can help clean this:
> > http://www.mvps.org/dmcritchie/excel/join.htm#trimall
> > (look for "Sub Trimall()")
> >
> > And if you're new to macros, you may want to read David's intro:
> > http://www.mvps.org/dmcritchie/excel/getstarted.htm
> >
> >
> >
> > Danny wrote:
> > >
> > > Hi,
> > >
> > > I downloaded an excel spreadsheet from a website. Column A:B on the
> > > spreadsheet is a reference for my vlookup formula in another worksheet.
> > >
> > > The cell where my formula returns #N/A.
> > >
> > > Say Column A5 reflects 2000.01
> > >
> > > If I go to the specific cell (A5) and "manually type" the exact information
> > > on the same cell (2000.01) then my formula will work!
> > >
> > > After typing manually and my formula works referring to A5 I tried use
> > > Column A5 as a base and use Format painter for the rest of Column A but all
> > > the rows in column A does not work for my formula unless I type manually each
> > > information on the cells in column A.
> > >
> > > Please help.
> >
> > --
> >
> > Dave Peterson
> >

--

Dave Peterson

Re: Cell Format - What's wrong? by Dave

Dave
Thu May 08 19:33:36 CDT 2008

Use a _different_ cell for each of the =len() formulas.

(stupid fingers!)

Dave Peterson wrote:
>
> Use a difference cell for each of the =len() formulas.
>
> And only use a single cell in that formula:
> =len(a1)
> =len(a2)
> ....
>
> Danny wrote:
> >
> > You are absolutely right Mr. Peterson. Some are text, some are numbers but
> > most importantly, using =len(a1:a200), some rows comes with a different
> > number!
> >
> > I'll go to the website you provided and hopefully, I'll be able to
> > "clean-up" the worksheet.
> >
> > Thanks a lot.
> >
> > "Dave Peterson" wrote:
> >
> > > Try a few functions that'll describe that cell (before you retype the value).
> > >
> > > =istext(a1)
> > > =isnumber(a1)
> > > =len(a1)
> > >
> > > My bet is that you're pasting extra characters into that cell--maybe extra
> > > spaces or those HTML non-breaking spaces (char(160)'s).
> > >
> > > Depending on what you find out, ...
> > >
> > > David McRitchie has a macro that can help clean this:
> > > http://www.mvps.org/dmcritchie/excel/join.htm#trimall
> > > (look for "Sub Trimall()")
> > >
> > > And if you're new to macros, you may want to read David's intro:
> > > http://www.mvps.org/dmcritchie/excel/getstarted.htm
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Danny wrote:
> > > >
> > > > Hi,
> > > >
> > > > I downloaded an excel spreadsheet from a website. Column A:B on the
> > > > spreadsheet is a reference for my vlookup formula in another worksheet.
> > > >
> > > > The cell where my formula returns #N/A.
> > > >
> > > > Say Column A5 reflects 2000.01
> > > >
> > > > If I go to the specific cell (A5) and "manually type" the exact information
> > > > on the same cell (2000.01) then my formula will work!
> > > >
> > > > After typing manually and my formula works referring to A5 I tried use
> > > > Column A5 as a base and use Format painter for the rest of Column A but all
> > > > the rows in column A does not work for my formula unless I type manually each
> > > > information on the cells in column A.
> > > >
> > > > Please help.
> > >
> > > --
> > >
> > > Dave Peterson
> > >
>
> --
>
> Dave Peterson

--

Dave Peterson

Re: Cell Format - What's wrong? by Poorvi

Poorvi
Fri May 09 12:56:07 CDT 2008

There is another trick to this. Copy the entire column of numbers into a
notepad file and save it (as a txt). Then from Excel, open the txt file.
These numbers will all be in number format and you can paste it over your
original data.

"Dave Peterson" wrote:

> Use a _different_ cell for each of the =len() formulas.
>
> (stupid fingers!)
>
> Dave Peterson wrote:
> >
> > Use a difference cell for each of the =len() formulas.
> >
> > And only use a single cell in that formula:
> > =len(a1)
> > =len(a2)
> > ....
> >
> > Danny wrote:
> > >
> > > You are absolutely right Mr. Peterson. Some are text, some are numbers but
> > > most importantly, using =len(a1:a200), some rows comes with a different
> > > number!
> > >
> > > I'll go to the website you provided and hopefully, I'll be able to
> > > "clean-up" the worksheet.
> > >
> > > Thanks a lot.
> > >
> > > "Dave Peterson" wrote:
> > >
> > > > Try a few functions that'll describe that cell (before you retype the value).
> > > >
> > > > =istext(a1)
> > > > =isnumber(a1)
> > > > =len(a1)
> > > >
> > > > My bet is that you're pasting extra characters into that cell--maybe extra
> > > > spaces or those HTML non-breaking spaces (char(160)'s).
> > > >
> > > > Depending on what you find out, ...
> > > >
> > > > David McRitchie has a macro that can help clean this:
> > > > http://www.mvps.org/dmcritchie/excel/join.htm#trimall
> > > > (look for "Sub Trimall()")
> > > >
> > > > And if you're new to macros, you may want to read David's intro:
> > > > http://www.mvps.org/dmcritchie/excel/getstarted.htm
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Danny wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > > Hi,
> > > > >
> > > > > I downloaded an excel spreadsheet from a website. Column A:B on the
> > > > > spreadsheet is a reference for my vlookup formula in another worksheet.
> > > > >
> > > > > The cell where my formula returns #N/A.
> > > > >
> > > > > Say Column A5 reflects 2000.01
> > > > >
> > > > > If I go to the specific cell (A5) and "manually type" the exact information
> > > > > on the same cell (2000.01) then my formula will work!
> > > > >
> > > > > After typing manually and my formula works referring to A5 I tried use
> > > > > Column A5 as a base and use Format painter for the rest of Column A but all
> > > > > the rows in column A does not work for my formula unless I type manually each
> > > > > information on the cells in column A.
> > > > >
> > > > > Please help.
> > > >
> > > > --
> > > >
> > > > Dave Peterson
> > > >
> >
> > --
> >
> > Dave Peterson
>
> --
>
> Dave Peterson
>

Re: Cell Format - What's wrong? by Danny

Danny
Fri May 09 17:48:00 CDT 2008

I went to: http://www.mvps.org/dmcritchie/excel/join.htm#trimall
> > > > > (look for "Sub Trimall()")

The Trim All macro did it!

Thank you for your help and tips!

"Poorvi" wrote:

> There is another trick to this. Copy the entire column of numbers into a
> notepad file and save it (as a txt). Then from Excel, open the txt file.
> These numbers will all be in number format and you can paste it over your
> original data.
>
> "Dave Peterson" wrote:
>
> > Use a _different_ cell for each of the =len() formulas.
> >
> > (stupid fingers!)
> >
> > Dave Peterson wrote:
> > >
> > > Use a difference cell for each of the =len() formulas.
> > >
> > > And only use a single cell in that formula:
> > > =len(a1)
> > > =len(a2)
> > > ....
> > >
> > > Danny wrote:
> > > >
> > > > You are absolutely right Mr. Peterson. Some are text, some are numbers but
> > > > most importantly, using =len(a1:a200), some rows comes with a different
> > > > number!
> > > >
> > > > I'll go to the website you provided and hopefully, I'll be able to
> > > > "clean-up" the worksheet.
> > > >
> > > > Thanks a lot.
> > > >
> > > > "Dave Peterson" wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > Try a few functions that'll describe that cell (before you retype the value).
> > > > >
> > > > > =istext(a1)
> > > > > =isnumber(a1)
> > > > > =len(a1)
> > > > >
> > > > > My bet is that you're pasting extra characters into that cell--maybe extra
> > > > > spaces or those HTML non-breaking spaces (char(160)'s).
> > > > >
> > > > > Depending on what you find out, ...
> > > > >
> > > > > David McRitchie has a macro that can help clean this:
> > > > > http://www.mvps.org/dmcritchie/excel/join.htm#trimall
> > > > > (look for "Sub Trimall()")
> > > > >
> > > > > And if you're new to macros, you may want to read David's intro:
> > > > > http://www.mvps.org/dmcritchie/excel/getstarted.htm
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > Danny wrote:
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Hi,
> > > > > >
> > > > > > I downloaded an excel spreadsheet from a website. Column A:B on the
> > > > > > spreadsheet is a reference for my vlookup formula in another worksheet.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > The cell where my formula returns #N/A.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Say Column A5 reflects 2000.01
> > > > > >
> > > > > > If I go to the specific cell (A5) and "manually type" the exact information
> > > > > > on the same cell (2000.01) then my formula will work!
> > > > > >
> > > > > > After typing manually and my formula works referring to A5 I tried use
> > > > > > Column A5 as a base and use Format painter for the rest of Column A but all
> > > > > > the rows in column A does not work for my formula unless I type manually each
> > > > > > information on the cells in column A.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Please help.
> > > > >
> > > > > --
> > > > >
> > > > > Dave Peterson
> > > > >
> > >
> > > --
> > >
> > > Dave Peterson
> >
> > --
> >
> > Dave Peterson
> >