There might be a more elegant way to do this formula, but I was curious enough to work out the following: Assuming that the date field is in column F, insert a new column and put this formula in it: =DATE(YEAR(TRIM(F2)),MONTH(TRIM(F2)),DAY(TRIM(F2)))
The DATE formula converts the cell value to Excel's sequential date-time code, allowing it to be properly sorted. Before that will work, there are blank spaces after the date in the cell data that need to be removed. The TRIM function removes them.

Hope this helps,

Jeff

There might be a more elegant way to do this formula, but I was curious enough to work out the following: Assuming that the date field is in column F, insert a new column and put this formula in it: =DATE(YEAR(TRIM(F2)),MONTH(TRIM(F2)),DAY(TRIM(F2)))
The DATE formula converts the cell value to Excel's sequential date-time code, allowing it to be properly sorted. Before that will work, there are blank spaces after the date in the cell data that need to be removed. The TRIM function removes them.

Hope this helps,

Jeff

The function built in to Excel is rather simple. Dates displayed in an Inquiry in Sage Timberline look like this: 4-21-2016. When that inquiry is exported to Excel, the date appears visually the same as in the Inquiry (4-21-2016). Attempting to format that cell as a date does not convert it to a date.

Let's assume that the column containing the "dates" is column "F", and for this example the cell containing "4-21-2016" is cell F2. Insert a column to the right of column F, and use this formula: =DATEVALUE(F2). That formula converts the "fake" date to the actual serial number of the date. You can copy this formula down the entire column, and then format the column as "Date" with your choice of date formats provided in Excel. The new column now contains actual dates. Be sure to copy the column with the formula and paste special to paste the values over the formula to store the results of the date and you can then delete the original "date" column with the "fake" dates.