XL: Can't Apply Number Format to Data Returned by SQL.REQUEST

• Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 5.0, 5.0c
• Microsoft Excel for Windows 95, version 7.0
• Microsoft Excel for Macintosh, versions 5.0, 5.0a

SUMMARY

In Microsoft Excel 5.x or 7.0, if you use the XLODBC.XLA function SQL.REQUEST to return data to your worksheet, you cannot apply a number format to the data by choosing the Number command from the Format menu.

Using SQL.REQUEST creates a "link" to the data source and the data is returned as text--thus, the data cannot be reformatted using a number format. This is by design in Microsoft Excel 5.x and 7.0.

MORE INFORMATION

To work around this limitation, you may use the TEXT function to reformat the data. For example, the following formula returns the text "6/5/1987":

   =SQL.REQUEST("DSN=NWind",,,"SELECT Hire_Date FROM Employee WHERE
   Last_Name = 'Davolio'")

   =TEXT(SQL.REQUEST("DSN=NWind",,,"SELECT Hire_Date FROM Employee WHERE
   Last_Name = 'Davolio'"),"mmm-dd-yyyy")