Microsoft KB Archive/76278

{| = Q+E Converts Numbers to Text if First Field Is Blank =
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Last reviewed: November 3, 1994

Article ID: Q76278 The information in this article applies to:
 * Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 2.1, 2.5 and 3.0
 * Microsoft Excel for OS/2, version 3.0

Summary:

After manipulating a dBASE file in Q+E, numeric fields will import as text when the file is reopened in Microsoft Excel if the first field in a numeric column is blank.

More Information:

If the first field in a column of a dBASE file is blank, the field type will default to Character in Q+E. Then in Q+E, even if numbers are entered into the field and it is taken back to Microsoft Excel, the fields will appear as text.

Workarounds
  Enter a value in the first field before modifying the file in Q+E. -or-   Convert the entry in cell A2 to a number, after returning to Microsoft Excel. a. Select A2. b. Press the Edit Key (F2) and press ENTER. -or-   The third is to define the column type in Q+E. a. From the File menu, choose Define. b. Select the Field name and change the type from Character to      Numeric. c. Exit Q+E, saving the changes. This option will allow you to      convert the entire column to numeric, without having to change each record individually. 

Steps to Reproduce Problem
  Enter the following in Microsoft Excel: A1     Age A2     A3      4 A4     6  Select A1:A4 and choose Set Database from the Data menu. Save the file in the dBase file format and open it in Q+E. Choose Allow Editing from the Edit menu.</li> Enter a number in the blank field and close the file.</li> Reopen the file in Microsoft Excel.</li> Enter &quot;=SUM(A2:A4)&quot; (without the quotation marks) in cell A5.</li></ol>

This result is 0. Reference(s):

&quot;Q+E for Microsoft Excel,&quot; version 3.0, pages 45-47
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