Excel shows ##### instead of a number: check width and dates
Hash marks usually mean the column is too narrow. If widening it does not help, check for a negative date or time result.
Drag the right edge of the column header wider. If the number or date appears, the value is still there—it did not fit. If a date or time continues to show hash marks, check whether its formula produces a negative result before changing the value.
In this guide
Excel for Microsoft 365 and the desktop versions covered by Microsoft's guide. The negative date/time checks apply to the 1900 date system.
Widen the column first
Microsoft lists these two causes in its ##### troubleshooting guide.
If the value appears after widening
Select the cell and check the formula bar. Once you know the value is correct, choose a layout that fits the report: a wider column, fewer displayed decimal places, or a shorter date format.
Apply that choice to the relevant cells. An hours column and an account-code column should not receive the same number format simply because both look cramped.
If a date or time still shows hashes
Under Excel's 1900 date system, a negative date or time can produce this display. Check the formula's inputs and subtraction order.
For example, an end time earlier than a start time could be a typing error or a shift that crossed midnight. Swapping the cells or forcing the result to be positive would hide that distinction. Confirm what happened before correcting the calculation.
| Check | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| Widen the column | Whether the value simply needs more display space |
| Inspect the cell's number format | Whether Excel is displaying a number, date, time, or custom format |
| Compare the formula inputs | Whether the calculation uses the intended start and end values |
| Check the expected result | Whether a negative value is meaningful for this field |
If a negative duration is intentional, decide how the report should present it. Changing the workbook's date system is a much broader change than fixing one cell and should not be the first step.
Check the finished report
After correcting the display or formula, check adjacent cells and any totals that use it. If you found the problem in a printed or exported report, inspect that output too.
Dates that are readable but sort out of order need a different check: see Excel dates that will not sort correctly. For a cell that still shows hashes, Microsoft's guide links to support.
Sources
Based on official documentation; not independently tested. Sources checked Sep 27, 2026. How we review guides
Something out of date? Let us know.
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