"am/pm" changed to "AM/PM" in custom number format in Excel for Mac (178957)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition
  • Microsoft Excel 2001 for Mac
  • Microsoft Excel X for Mac
  • Microsoft Excel 2004 for Mac
This article was previously published under Q178957

SYMPTOMS

If you open a workbook created in an earlier version of Microsoft Excel, and the workbook contains time data, the formatting for time data in cells or in charts may be changed from "am/pm" to "AM/PM". For example, if you create the time "1:00 am" (without the quotation marks) in cell A1 and you open the workbook in Microsoft Excel 98, cell A1 displays "1:00 AM" (without the quotation marks).

CAUSE

The Microsoft Excel versions that are listed in the "Applies to" section do not support custom number formats in which "AM/PM" is lowercase. For example, the following format is not supported: 
   h:mm am/pm

WORKAROUND

To display "am/pm" in lowercase, change the number formatting to a format similar to the following 
   h:mm a/p"m"
including the quotation marks. To do this, follow these steps:
  1. Click Cells on the Format menu.
  2. Click the Number tab.
  3. In the Category list, click Custom. In the Type box, type the following

    h:mm a/p"m"

    and then click OK.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.

REFERENCES

Excel X and later versions

For more information about custom number formats, follow these steps:
  1. Click Search Excel Help on the Help menu.
  2. Type about basic number format codes, and then click Search.
  3. Click a topic to view it.

Excel 2001

For more information about custom number formats, follow these steps:
  1. Click Office Assistant.
  2. Type custom number formats, and then click Search.
  3. Click a topic to view it.
Note If the Office Assistant is hidden, click Office Assistant on the standard toolbar.

Excel 98

For more information about custom number formats, follow these steps:
  1. On the Help menu, click Contents and Index.
  2. Click the Index tab in MS Excel Help.
  3. Type number formats, custom, and then double-click the selected text to view the "Custom number, date, and time format codes" topic.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:12/22/2004
Keywords:kbbug KB178957
©2004 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.