IF Formula not giving expected results.

I have a column that gets dollar amounts added to it via data import (892.38 as an example). Another column has the following formula in it that I'm having a hard time with.

=IF(AO4=0, AW4, AO4)

basically if the value is not a zero, then set the cell with formula equal to that number. If it is a zero, then set the cell's value equal to the value in cell AWxx.......

The data gets imported fine, and the formula works for cells where AOxx has a non zero value. For cells with a value of zero, it returns zero to the cell with the formula.

The odd thing is that when I click in one of the AOxx cells with a zero value, and click up in the formula bar, then click out of the cell, it evaluates the formula properly and returns the value in column AWxx because the value is now equal to zero.

This is very strange to say the least. I was beginning to think my data import was padding a space to the front of the zero value in column AOxx........

so...how do I get the formula to evaluate as it should without having to click in each cell of column AOxx that has a zero value in it?

Your post does not comply with Rule 1 of our Forum RULES. Your post title should accurately and concisely describe your problem, not your anticipated solution. Use terms appropriate to a Google search. Poor thread titles, like Please Help, Urgent, Need Help, Formula Problem, Code Problem, and Need Advice will be addressed according to the OP's experience in the forum: If you have less than 10 posts, expect (and respond to) a request to change your thread title. If you have 10 or more posts, expect your post to be locked, so you can start a new thread with an appropriate title.
To change a Title on your post, click EDIT then Go Advanced and change your title, if 2 days have passed ask a moderator to do it for you.

PLEASE PM WHEN YOU HAVE DONE THIS AND I WILL DELETE THIS POST

I suspect that the cells/column are formatted as text.

Put a 1 in a "spare" cell and copy it.
Then select all the data in the AO column.
Choose Paste Special and select the Multiply Operation.
Delete the 1 in the "spare" cell.

If that was the problem, all the "numbers" will now be, well, numbers.

Regards

@NVBC: oops, done it again. Apologies ... drafting my response in the background. :-(

It seems that, when you import data, it arrives in cells that are treated as text.

It's difficult to tell without seeing the workbook (after the import but before you make any changes to the data).

Going into the cell and pressing enter is, effectively, typing a numeric value into the cell and, hence, getting a numeric format ... and formulae that work.

Regards

Désolé. Je ne sais pas. :-(