Microsoft KB Archive/173064

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XL: General Number Format Applied to Improper Time Entry

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The information in this article applies to:


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

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SYMPTOMS
In Microsoft Excel, when you enter a time into a cell, the cell may change to the General number format, and display a decimal number.

CAUSE
This behavior occurs when you enter an improper time value, where the minutes are greater than or equal to 60. For example if you type "5:62" (without the quotation marks), the cell displays "0.251389"

WORKAROUND
To work around this problem, change the cell to the Time number format. To do this, follow these steps:


 * 1) Click to select the cell.
 * 2) On the Format menu, click Cells.
 * 3) On the Number tab, click Time in the Category list, and then click the time format you want in the Type list. Click OK.

STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article.