auto divide-by 1000 in Excel (XP sp2, Excel 2003)

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This issue straddles the line between XP and Excel – I am not 100% certain where the problem lies…

A co-worker’s computer was recently upgraded from W2K to WXP. The standard office package is Office 2003. When he types a number into a cell in Excel, it is automatically divided by 1000. For example, type 1234 into the cell, and it is transformed into 1.234. This is not a formatting issue — the cell actually contains 1.234. If I open the offending file on my computer, it works properly. If I log onto his computer, it works properly. If I open a new Excel file on his computer, it displays the incorrect behaviour. It’s only his user account that is affected. Files that worked properly on his computer prior to the XP upgrade now exhibit the incorrect behaviour.

He admits to changing the computer’s language from its original English to his native Portuguese (despite being warned not to!). He’s been told to undo the changes, but nothing seems to get back to the correct behaviour. I can’t see anything in the Regional settings that looks incorrect.

Is there anything else to check short of nuking his user profile and starting again?

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It is definitely Excel configuration problem for your co-worker account.

Try to replace excel11.xlb file in his user profile
C:Documents and SettingsApplication DataMicrosoftExcelExcel11.xlb
with the excel11.xlb file from your or Administrator profile.

If this will not work, reset Excel settings in the Registry for his profile:
logon to his account and from Run dialog or from Command prompt run two following commands, one after another:

“C:Program FilesMicrosoft OfficeOFFICE11Excel.exe” UnRegServer
“C:Program FilesMicrosoft OfficeOFFICE11Excel.exe” RegServer

(presuming Office was installed in default location; double quotes are mandatory).

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Kaplinb’s suggestions will probably solve the problem, but you could look at the following setting under his account:
– Start Excel.
– Select Tools | Options…
– Activate the Edit tab.
– Make sure that the check box “Fixed decimal” is clear (off).

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Thanks, Hans. That fixed it. I’ve never used that setting myself, so the divide-by-1000 behaviour was a complete surprise to me.

I guess the Windows Regional settings was a red herring – he now admits to changing that Excel setting himself. Dunno why he did not check its effect immediately, and turn it off when it gave the undesired results.

Thanks also to Kaplinb – I appreciate your input.

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