Expert: Tom Ogilvy - 11/5/2009

Question
QUESTION: I need to have different column styles across a spread sheet. For example: Column A needs to be date; e.g. 11/4/09; Column B in time format; e.g., 2:15, C through E in standard numbers. I know how to change style, but when I format Column A, it changes all other columns, When I do Column B, it also makes all columns that style. Surely there's a way around this.
Suggestions
Thanks,
Ron

ANSWER: Ron,

formatting is applied to the selection. So if you only have column A selected (done by click in the gray box above column A that has the column label in it (in this case "A").  


Then if I apply formatting, it should only format column A.  

If you have merged cells that cross the column, this can cause problems.  I would unmerge the cells then and apply the formatting.

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Regards,
Tom Ogilvy


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Tom,
Sadly (I guess) the cells are NOT merged and I earlier tried what you suggested. But, when I apply a style (format) to one column it forces that style to all remaining columns.
VERY frustrating!
I'm beginning to think this is a MS bug, but it seems so obvious that I can't believe it hasn't come up before.

Answer
Ron,

I was really talking about format=>cells.  I see you are talking about Format=>Styles.  I missed that - I read styles as being the generic sense of the word, not a referene to Excel styles in the format menu.    Even so, I couldn't reproduce what you are describing.   I applied a whole style to my sheet by selecting all cells and selecting the style.  I was then able to format a single column with a different style.   So I am not able to reproduce your problem.  

Still, I would think you would be able to apply the formatting you want to individual columns by using format=>cells with the entire column selected and then pick the attribute settings you want.  

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Regards,
Tom Ogilvy