Correct a ##### error

This error occurs when a column is not wide enough, or a negative date or time is used.

• Review the following possible causes and solutions.

  The column is not wide enough to display the content

  Do one or more of the following:

  Increase the width of the column

  1. Select the column by clicking the column header.
  2. On the Home tab, in the Cells group, click Format, point to Columns, and then click AutoFit Selection.

     

     Tip Alternatively, you can double-click the boundary to the right of the column heading.

  Shrink the contents to fit the column

  1. Select the column.
  2. On the Home tab, in the Cells group, click Format, click Cells, and then click the Alignment tab.

     

  3. Select the Shrink to fit check box.

  Apply a different number format

  In some cases, you can change the cell's number format to make the number fit within the existing cell width. For example, you can decrease the number of decimal places after the decimal point.

  Dates and times are negative numbers

  • If you are using the 1900 date system, dates and times in Microsoft Office Excel must be positive values.

  • When you subtract dates and times, make sure that you build the formula correctly.

  • If the formula is correct but the result is still a negative value, you can display the value by formatting the cell with a format that is not a date or time format.

    1. On the Home tab, in the Cells group, click Format, click Cells, and then click the Number tab.

       

    2. Select a format that is not a date or time format.