I have a recurring nightmare as I enter data into Excel(2003, SP3.) I am an accountant. I love a ten key adding machine key pad. But all my ten key skills are for naught when I enter date data. When I enter 011508, without a format it appears as 115.08. (Yes I used a fixed 2 decimal places.) I can set a column of data to a date format. But, if I format the column as a date, in the "03/14/01" style, the entry of 011508 converts to 04/24/00! WTF?

I hate having to enter a whole column of dates with 2 "/" per cell. Data entry speed is shot to hell right away and my disposition is ruined for longer than it should. How about a tip to solve this problem, which I suspect haunts a lot more people than you'd ever imagine.