Fix dates stored as text

Spot dates stored as text, turn them into real dates with DATEVALUE, and rebuild any other layout with DATE, LEFT, MID and RIGHT.

Confident · 12 min · 13 steps

In this lesson

  • Signs of dates stored as text.
  • =DATEVALUE(A2) turns text in your spreadsheet's date layout (such as 9/28/2026) into a real date.
  • Any other layout: rebuild it with =DATE(year, month, day) and LEFT, MID and RIGHT.

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Remove duplicates

Delete repeated rows from a merged list, and choose which columns decide what counts as a duplicate.

Confident · 9 min · Free, with no sign-up

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Skill
Data cleaning
Stage
Confident

Where it sits in Data cleaning 10 lessons

And 4 more, up to Project: clean a messy customer list. See the whole skill

The steps

13 steps: 4 explanations, 7 Do this, 2 questions, then Your turn.

Try a free lesson first

Remove duplicates

Delete repeated rows from a merged list, and choose which columns decide what counts as a duplicate.

Confident · 9 min · Free, with no sign-up

Do the free lesson on your computer.

Send yourself the link and open it on a laptop or desktop.

On your computer, go tolearnford.com/go/BV7C