Microsoft KB Archive/81656

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Excel: Date/Time Format Changes When Value in Cell Changes

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The information in this article applies to:


 * Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 4.0, 4.0a, 5.0
 * Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh, versions 4.0, 5.0

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SUMMARY
Microsoft Excel provides a Smart Formatting feature that automatically changes the format for a cell to one appropriate to the value in the cell. After changing the date or time value in a cell, the format for the cell will automatically change if the cell was originally formatted with one of Excel's built-in formats.

MORE INFORMATION
Smart Formatting only works with Excel's built-in number formats and can, therefore, be bypassed by using a custom format. Keep in mind that a custom format that is identical to a built-in format will be considered a built-in format in Excel.

For example, if you format a cell with the custom format hh:mm AM/PM and then enter 3/06/92 2:45 PM into that cell, Excel will display 2:45 PM without the date. If, on the other hand, you format the cell with the built-in format h:mm AM/PM and enter the same date and time, Excel will reformat the cell to mm/dd/yyyy h:mm.

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