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Excel - Mastering Custom Date Formats in Excel: Create Abbreviated Day & Month Formats - Episode 964

589 views · Published 5 March 2009 · 2:45 · Indexed 20 September 2026

Channel: MrExcel.com · 2009 · Education

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Microsoft Excel Tutorial:  Mastering Custom Date Formats in Excel: Create Abbreviated Day & Month Formats.

Welcome back to the MrExcel netcast. In this video, we're going to tackle a common problem faced by many Excel users - analyzing massive amounts of data. The solution? Pivot tables. But before we dive into that, let's see if you can solve this problem. Can you create a custom date format that allows for more control, such as day or month abbreviations? Stick around and find out.

Today, we're going to talk about number formats. A viewer recently asked why there isn't a date format that allows for more customization, like day or month abbreviations. Well, the good news is, there is! In this video, I'll show you how to create a custom date format that gives you the flexibility you need.

To demonstrate, I have a range of dates and various number formats applied to them. But instead of manually applying each format, I'll use a simple macro that does the job for me. This macro applies the number format from the cell one column to the right. So, if I have a single "d" in the custom number format, I'll get just the date, while "dd" gives me the date with a leading zero. And for those of you who are wondering, "What happens after the 10th?" Don't worry, the format stays the same.

But here's where it gets interesting. By using "ddd" or "mmm" in the custom number format, I can get the day or month abbreviation, respectively. And if I use "dddd" or "mmmm", I'll get the full day or month name. But the real magic happens with "mmmmm". This format is perfect for creating charts, like the ones you see in the Wall Street Journal, with abbreviated month names along the bottom. So, you can mix and match these formats to create your own custom date format.

Once you've created your custom date format, you can easily apply it to any cell by using the Format Cells option or the shortcut Ctrl+1. And the best part? Your custom format will be saved in the custom list, so you can use it again and again without having to type it in every time. So, there you have it - a simple solution to a common problem. Thanks for watching and don't forget to tune in for more netcasts from MrExcel. See you next time!

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I bet you thought that I screwed up and put the date of the podcast as the title! But no... that really is the title. Tony asks how to change the long date format to show Thu Mar 5, 2009. Episode 964 shows you how.

This video is the podcast companion to the book, Learn Excel 97-2007 from MrExcel. Download a new two minute video every workday to learn one of the 377 tips from the book!

Table of Contents:
(00:00) Introduction to MrExcel netcast
(00:13) Discussion on number formats
(00:23) Customizing date formats
(00:33) Applying number formats with a macro
(00:59) Using single d in custom number format
(01:41) Combining date abbreviations
(01:59) Applying custom number format
(02:09) Saving custom number format in list
(02:23) Clicking Like really helps the algorithm

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