What happens if you prefix it with an apostrophe, instead of actually
formatting the cell as text?
Does that work any better?

Another option ... that I use when entering yarn sizes in formulas:
20/1, 36/1, 2/14
I use the *backslash*:
20\1, 36\1, 2\14

With no calculations involved, it serves it's purpose, without the necessity
of having to use extra keystrokes, or having to pre-format any ranges.
--
HTH,

RD
==============================================
Please keep all correspondence within the Group, so all may benefit!
==============================================


"Ibbits" <Ibbits@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:85629F93-248C-43AD-88C0-638F76A8AE7E@microsoft.com...
> It IS preformatted to text, and still complains - that's the point of the
post.
>
> "Gord Dibben" wrote:
>
> > Try '7/15
> >
> > OR pre-format the cells to Text.
> >
> >
> > Gord Dibben Excel MVP
> >
> >
> > On Thu, 14 Jul 2005 10:48:02 -0700, Ibbits
<Ibbits@discussions.microsoft.com>
> > wrote:
> >
> > >So, when I want a date to display as, say, 7/15 and the over aggressive
> > >autoformat kicks in, I change the cell format to Text, which is
supposed to
> > >'displays exactly as typed.'
> > >
> > >Bingo, perfect. But then when I type in "7/15" I still get a formula
error
> > >message.
> > >
> > >That's stupid. Make it stop.
> > >
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> >
> >