The default setting for
dates (in both cell and in headers and footers) is a format that drops
the zeros and gives the shortest date possible. For example, if you
type in the date 06/05/2000 and press enter you will likely get 6/5/00.
This is frustrating when dealing with cells because you have to manually
change the format to the one you were looking for.
With headers and
footers it is more than frustrating because there does not appear to be
any option for changing the date format if you use the &[Date]
function. You can look through the Excel program until you are blue in
the face and you will not find a place to change the default setting for
dates. That’s because Excel uses the Windows default setting as its
default setting.
To change the Windows
default setting for date formats you need to select Settings – Control
Panel – Regional Settings from the Start Menu. Under the date tab enter
in the date format desired for the long and short date formats. If you
need more information on what characters to use in constructing date
formats look back to the section on using custom formats in this
chapter.
Change Windows Regional Setting to Get the
Default Excel Date Format You Like
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