Software

Ask something
Discussion Locked

Date problem in Excel 2000

0 helpful
3 replies

by curiousinfo

Closed to new repliesThis discussion is closed. It stays readable, but it takes no new replies.
When copying and pasting dates from one spreadsheet to another, the dates change, i.e. 12/14/01 becomes 12/13/78. Neither SR1, 1a or 2 address this problem. Any ideas?

3 replies

by dklippert

O1 to 78?
A Four year difference is common, but a span like that makes me question the basis for the date. Is it the result of a calculation? Are both using the same mm/dd/yy entry pattern?

There are two date systems. Excel uses 1/1/1900 as the starting date. Lotus used 1/1/1904.
Lotus made a mistake and thought that 1904 was a leap year.
There are 1460 days from 1/1/1900 to 1/1/1904. Add 1 for the leap year gaffe and another 1 because January 1, 1900 in day 1 in Excel and January 1, 1904was day 0.
You can switch from one system to the other by going to Tools>Options Calculation and toggling the 1904 date option box.

by curiousinfo

Yes, both spreadsheets use the same date format, but changing the date option to the 1904 system fixed the problem. Thanks for the great explanation!

This discussion is closed to new replies.