Microsoft KB Archive/211991

= XL2000: Dates Are Incorrect When You Fill a Very Large Time Frame =

Article ID: 211991

Article Last Modified on 9/27/2003

-

APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Excel 2000 Standard Edition

-



This article was previously published under Q211991





SYMPTOMS
In Microsoft Excel 2000, when you use the Fill feature with a range of dates, some of the dates may be incorrect.



CAUSE
This behavior can occur if you use the fill handle to automatically fill a range of dates when the interval from the first date to the last date is greater than 32,768 months (approximately 2,730 years).



WORKAROUND
If you need to fill a range of dates, and the interval from the first date to the last date is greater than 2,730 years, use 2 or more steps, with each step filling no more than 2,730 years worth of dates.

For example, assume that you have a worksheet that contains the following dates

A1: 2/2/2000 A2: 2/2/2005

and you want column A to be filled with dates at 5-year intervals, all the way down to 2/2/5000 (February 2, 5000 A.D.). Because the interval from the first date (2/2/2000) is more than 2,730 years from the last date (2/2/5000), use 2 steps as in the following example:
 * 1) Select cells A1:A2.
 * 2) Using the mouse, drag the fill handle located at the lower-right corner of cell A2 down to cell A500, and then release the mouse button.

Cell A500 shows the date 2/2/4495. This is less than 2,730 years from the start date, 2/2/2000.
 * 1) Select cells A499:A500.
 * 2) Using the mouse, drag the fill handle located at the lower-right corner of cell A500 down to cell A601, and release the mouse button.

Cell A601 shows the date 2/2/5000. This is less than 2,730 years from the start date for this fill, 2/2/4495.



STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article.



MORE INFORMATION
In Excel 2000, you can use dates that fall within the range January 1, 1900 to December 31, 9999. This is different from versions of Microsoft Excel earlier than Excel 97, which allow dates only from January 1, 1900 to December 31, 2078.

Additional query words: fill XL2000

Keywords: kbbug kbpending KB211991

-

[mailto:TECHNET@MICROSOFT.COM Send feedback to Microsoft]

© Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.