Excel: How To Convert Text To Dates With Text To Columns

In this video I explain a shortcut with Find and Replace to quickly convert text to dates in Excel. The example is an Excel file that has been exported from Quickbooks Online. However, this technique will work on any file that has dates stored as text.

I also explain how to determine that the value in the cell is text instead of a date by using either the number format drop-down menu, or the filter drop-down menu. In the filter drop-down menu the dates will NOT be grouped, and instead listed out individually.

Please leave a comment below with any additional tips or techniques you have for converting these dates to a date data type. Thank you! 🙂👍

Additional Resources:

How to Add Days to Dates in Excel:

#MsExcel #ExcelCampus
00:00 Introduction
01:29 Region Settings
02:04 Text to Columns

[loludave]

Thanks so much John. Your videos are very much useful.

[MikeWilliams-uhii]

This was awesome! Helped fix an issue that was causing a big roadblock in our data collection/analysis.Thanks.

[wayneedmondson]

Thanks Jon.. great tip. One I use in this circumstance is: Select an empty cell and press CTRL+C for copy; highlight the range of dates that are text; press CTRL+ALT+V for Paste Special; under the Operation section, click the radio button for Add; click OK. The dates in the paste range will be converted to serial numbers. The pasted range will take on the formatting of the copy cell; so, if needed, format the range to show the dates as desired. Not a better or worse method.. just another way to do it. Thanks for all the tips. Thumbs up!!

[es]

Thank you Jon for the great tip. This is exactly what I need.

[roderickmose]

Thanks, John, useful and great as usual. keep up the good work

[s.mr.]

excellent instruction Jon, I am in new position and frustrated with the way our database exports to Excel. Perfect and helpful information!

[robynwilson]

This video was a lifesaver! I've already wasted so much time and I'm glad I won't have to anymore! Thank you so much! :)

[JOla-gonz]

Amazing video. Thank you so much!! Saved me a load of time.

[jennifergaines]

Thank you!!! 🙏
That really helped me out!!!

[AHDKING]

Good tip, never realized this function available in text to column.

[ominisxxx]

God Your video really helps me.i already confused with this "date" thing for my recruitment test. Thank you. You are a savior.

[Lifelessons]

Thankyou so much...u helped me solve a big issue

[lilladeak]

Thank you for this! Saved me from a huge manual work.

[sherylmcguire]

I keep referring to this video as it is the greatest! No formulas

[NagendraKumar-kwpj]

Well explained and saved lot of time in manually correcting

[nwachukwusamuel]

I needed this video today. Thanks Jon!

[FGDataPotential]

Excellent tutorial! Very clear and useful!. Indeed this problem with dates is the most troublesome for me. Many thanks.

[AslamJaved]

Thank you dear for your value able guidance and tutorial,

[brianbaheramouzegarletsbui]

Really well done! Thank you. This was a life-saver for me downloading data from ERP, cleaning up in Excel, before exporting to Power BI for rendering and visualization. Couldn't have done this without resolving the date formatting hurdle. Thanks again!

[NC-untr]

Thanks for the help with text to column trick. It helps