Re: Excel 2003 Problem

ChrisR9040 wrote...
....
All I am trying to do take to values from two columns (A and B) and add
them together into a third (C). The formula is correct, but the end
result is zero, as if it does not recognize the data as numerical.
Attempting to change the format does nothing, I cannot add dollar
signs, or decimal points to the numbers, and I've even opened a new
spread***, pre-formatted the columns to be numbers, and used 'paste
special-values' and there is no change. If I retype the number in the
cell (A or B), it recognizes the new data as a number, and cell C is
adjusted accordingly.
....

Almost certainly the 'numbers' on columns A and B are actually text.
Not formatted as text, but of datatype text (or string). Changing their
number format should have no effect on them. They won't appear any
different, and their sum won't change.

If you're summing them as =SUM(A2:B2), then Excel would treat both
cells as numeric zeros if they contain text. However, if your formula
were =A2+B2, Excel would sum them since Excel automatically converts
text operands of arithmetic operators to numbers if possible (when
Transition Formula Evaluation is disabled, which is the default state).

You could change the formulas to use the addition operator, +, rather
than the SUM function, but you may be better off converting columns A
and B to numbers by selecting each in sequence and running Data > Text
to Columns, choosing Fixed Width and IMMEDIATELY clicking the Finish
button.

Usually it's a better idea to ask Excel-specific questions in
Excel-specific newsgroups.

.