Countless businesses use Microsoft Excel to track and sort data, but a long-running bug has been a source of frustration among users. It is no longer an issue, thanks to a new update from Microsoft. This guide will explain the problem and what changes are now in place.
Issues With Excel’s Automatic Data Conversion Settings
What exactly is the problem that led Microsoft’s team to fix Excel data features? It stems from the software’s Automatic Data Conversion feature, which has been at the center of several bug fixes. Scientists took particular issue with the feature when they found that Excel would automatically convert their data regarding gene names into dates.
In general, Microsoft touts Excel’s automatic conversions as a simple shortcut for anyone inputting common data points such as numbers and dates. However, this feature has been a cause of concern for scientists and has led to major issues with their peer-reviewed data.
Correcting this issue is the latest effort Microsoft has put toward Excel’s Automatic Data Conversations settings. Before this update, the tech giant added file options to the settings that let users download their files without automatic conversions.
Microsoft Fixes Excel Data Bug: Why It Matters for Business Owners
Regardless of your industry, you can benefit from this new update. Excel now allows users to adjust their data conversions if they don’t serve your project. While the gene scientists who uncovered this issue stand to benefit significantly from the fix, so does anyone who’s faced improper conversions with their data.
The update is now available for both macOS and Windows users. You’ll have the option to choose which conversions you want to deploy versus the ones you wish to turn off automatically. This feature offers workers more versatility in their Excel projects.
You can adjust several things with the update including:
- Converting numbers around the letter “E” to scientific notation
- Removing leading zeros from text and converting it to a number
- Converting a string of letters and numbers into a date
- Shortening numerical data with 15 digits to a number that’s displayed in scientific notation
Remember that if you are using Excel in safe mode, the software will run without any customized settings. You must exit safe mode to apply any changes in your automatic conversion settings to your file. Otherwise, you may continue to face issues with incorrect automatic conversions.
Knowing that Microsoft fixes Excel data bugs is good news for any business owner, regardless of their industry. This recent update indicates that the corporation is actively trying to improve its software and that users can rely on the tech giant to fix Excel issues that come up in the future.
