excel

dave_austin 

If you have applied the date formatting as described, and you're still seeing the serial number instead of the date in the cell, there are a few additional steps you can take to troubleshoot the issue:

1. Check Cell Format in Formula Bar:

When you enter a date in a cell, check the formula bar to see if it shows the date in the correct format. If the formula bar displays the date correctly, then the issue might be related to how the cells are being displayed.

2. Verify Regional Date Settings:

Ensure that your regional date settings are configured correctly. Excel uses the regional settings to interpret and display dates. To check and update these settings:

1. Go to "Control Panel" on your computer.
2. Select "Clock and Region" or "Region and Language."
3. Click on "Change date, time, or number formats."
4. In the "Formats" tab, make sure the short date format corresponds to the format you are entering (e.g., MM/dd/yy).
5. Click "OK" to apply the changes.

3. Clear Cell Formats:

Try clearing the cell formats and reapplying the date format:

1. Select the cell with the serial number.
2. Right-click and choose "Format Cells."
3. In the Format Cells dialog, go to the "Number" tab.
4. Choose "General" as the category.
5. Click "OK" to apply the changes.
6. Reapply the date format.

4. Test with a New Worksheet:

Create a new worksheet, enter a date, and apply the date format. This helps determine if the issue is specific to the current workbook.

If the problem persists after trying these steps, it might be helpful to understand the specific context or any additional details about the workbook. You could also try opening the workbook on a different computer to see if the behavior is consistent and send more informations.