XL: Dates Displayed as Serial in Second Link to MSQuery Data

The information in this article applies to:

• Microsoft Excel for Windows, version 5.0
• Microsoft Query for Windows, version 1.0
• Microsoft Excel for Windows 95, version 7.0
• Microsoft Query for Windows 95, version 2.0

SYMPTOMS

In a Microsoft Excel worksheet, when you link to a range of data in Microsoft Query, any date values in the range are displayed as serial numbers if a worksheet that contains a link to this same range is open.

CAUSE

When you choose the Paste Link option in the Paste Special dialog box to link to a range in Microsoft Query, if the same link already exists in an open worksheet, the data is formatted with General number formatting. Any dates in the range are displayed as serial numbers.

WORKAROUNDS

To avoid having linked date values from Microsoft Query appear as serial numbers, do either of the following:

• Manually apply a date format to the dates, using the Number tab in the Format Cells dialog box.

  -or-

• If you are linking to the same range in Microsoft Query, from different workbook files in Microsoft Excel, close one of the workbook files after you link to the data, and before you link to the same data from another workbook.

REFERENCES

For more information about Copying Data From Another Application To Microsoft Excel, choose the Search button in Help and type:

   Paste Special command (Edit menu)