XL2000: TEXT(MONTH(NOW()),"mmm") Always Returns "Jan" (213429)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Excel 2000
This article was previously published under Q213429

SYMPTOMS

When you nest the TEXT(), MONTH(), and NOW() functions as in the following example

=TEXT(MONTH(NOW()),"mmm")

Microsoft Excel will always return the result "Jan."

CAUSE

When you format a number using a date format (such as "mmm"), Excel interprets the number as the serial representation of the date. The number returned by the MONTH() function is always in the range of 1 through 12, representing the months of the year.

In the following example, the current date is assumed to be February 1, 1995.

On a worksheet, type the following formula in a cell:

=TEXT(MONTH(NOW()),"mmm")

If the current date is 2/1/1995, the function MONTH(NOW()) correctly returns the value of 2. This is equivalent to MONTH(34731) because 2/1/1995 is the 34731st day after 1/1/1900. TEXT(MONTH(NOW()),"mmm") evaluates to the same value as TEXT(2,"mmm"), because 2 is the serial representation of 1/2/1900. Therefore, it returns "Jan."

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article.

MORE INFORMATION

Microsoft provides programming examples for illustration only, without warranty either expressed or implied, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability and/or fitness for a particular purpose. This article assumes that you are familiar with the programming language being demonstrated and the tools used to create and debug procedures. Microsoft support professionals can help explain the functionality of a particular procedure, but they will not modify these examples to provide added functionality or construct procedures to meet your specific needs. If you have limited programming experience, you may want to contact a Microsoft Certified Partner or the Microsoft fee-based consulting line at (800) 936-5200. For more information about Microsoft Certified Partners, please visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/partner/referral/

For more information about the support options that are available and about how to contact Microsoft, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;EN-US;CNTACTMS

To format a date as a month, do not use the MONTH() function in the formula, as illustrated in the following examples.

To enter the formula directly in a worksheet, type the following formula in a cell:

=TEXT(NOW(),"mmm")

The text string "Feb" is returned.

To use the formula in a Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications procedure (this particular example illustrates how to display the current month as a text string in a message box), type the following Sub procedure in a module: 
Sub Date_Format()

  Test = Format(Date, "mmm")

  ' Returns the current month as a text string
  ' if the current date is 2/1/95, "Feb" (without the quotation marks).
  MsgBox Test

End Sub
Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:10/11/2006
Keywords:kbbug kbdtacode kbpending kbProgramming KB213429
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