Scribd
Upload
6 views4 pages

2 Ways To Avoid Automatic Formatting of Numbers in Excel

The document discusses how to avoid automatic data formatting in Excel, particularly when entering non-standard data like numbers with dashes or slashes. It provides two main solutions: pre-formatting cells as text and using the data import wizard to open CSV files. These methods help retain the original view of data and prevent Excel from misinterpreting formats.

Uploaded by

s.saneep4678
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
6 views4 pages

2 Ways To Avoid Automatic Formatting of Numbers in Excel

The document discusses how to avoid automatic data formatting in Excel, particularly when entering non-standard data like numbers with dashes or slashes. It provides two main solutions: pre-formatting cells as text and using the data import wizard to open CSV files. These methods help retain the original view of data and prevent Excel from misinterpreting formats.

Uploaded by

s.saneep4678
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 4

Firefox https://www.ablebits.com/office-addins-blog/avoid-automatic-formattin...

How to avoid automatic data formatting in Excel


by Alexander Frolov, updated on October 10, 2023

Excel is a helpful program when you have standard tasks and standard data. Once you want to go
your non-standard-Excel way, some frustration is involved. Especially when we have large data sets. I
came across one of such formatting issues when I dealt with our customers' tasks in Excel.

Surprisingly, it appeared to be quite a ubiquitous problem when we enter numbers with dashes or
slashes, and Excel decides those are dates (or time, or what not). So, if you want to �nd the answer to
the question: "Can you cancel automatic formatting?", it's a "No". But there are several ways you can
deal with the format if it stands between you and your data.

Pre-format cells as text

Use data import wizard in Excel to open existing csv �les

Pre-format cells as text


It is really quite a simple solution that works when you are entering data into your sheet. To prevent
auto-formatting, just do the following:

Select the range where you'll have your special data. It can be a column or a number of columns.
You can even select the entire worksheet (press Ctrl+A to do it straight away)

Right-click on the range and select "Format Cells…", or press Ctrl+1

1 of 4 2/15/2025, 2:49 PM
Firefox https://www.ablebits.com/office-addins-blog/avoid-automatic-formattin...

Select Text in the Category list on the "Number" tab

Click Ok

That's it; all the values you enter in this column or worksheet will retain their original view: be it 1-4, or
mar/5. They are regarded as text, they are left-aligned, and that's all there is to it.

Tip: You can automate this task on both worksheet- and cell-scale. Some pros on the forums
suggest that you can create a worksheet template you can use any time:

Format worksheet as text following the steps above;

Save as… - Excel template �le type. Now every time you need text-formatted worksheet, you have
it ready in your personal templates.

If you need text-formatted cells - create your own cell style under Styles on the Home ribbon tab.
Created once, you can quickly apply it to the selected range of cells and enter the data.

Another way is entering an apostrophe (') before the value you are putting in. It basically does the

2 of 4 2/15/2025, 2:49 PM
Firefox https://www.ablebits.com/office-addins-blog/avoid-automatic-formattin...

same thing - formats your data as text.

Use data import wizard in Excel to open existing csv �les


Solution #1 often didn't work for me because I already had data in csv �les, the web, and elsewhere.
You may not recognize your records if you try to simply open a .csv �le in Excel. So this issue becomes
a bit of a pain when you try to work with external data.

Yet there is a way to deal with this one as well. Excel has a wizard you can use. Here are the steps:

Go to Data tab and �nd the �rst group on the ribbon - Get External Data.

Click on From Text and browse for the �le with your data.

Use "Tab" as the delimiter. We need the last step of the wizard, where you can select "Text" in the
"Column data format" section.

For more information, please see:

How to open CSV �le in Excel

How to �x formatting issues when converting CSV to Excel

The bottom line: there isn't a simple answer that will let you forget about the format, but keeping in

3 of 4 2/15/2025, 2:49 PM
Firefox https://www.ablebits.com/office-addins-blog/avoid-automatic-formattin...

mind these two solutions will save you some time. Not so many clicks keep you away from your goal.

4 of 4 2/15/2025, 2:49 PM

You might also like