Apple numbers User Manual

 Using Tables

 

Unless a cell has a date and time format associated with it, when you type a value that 
can be interpreted as a date or time value, Numbers might reformat the value. 

For example, if you type 1/22/45 or 1-22-45 into a table cell with the Automatic cell 
format and leave the cell, the value changes to Jan 22, 2045. If you enter a 2-digit year 
value greater than or equal to 50, Numbers adds the prefix “19”; otherwise Numbers 
adds the prefix “20.”

And if you type 12 pm, the value becomes 12:00 PM. You can edit the value if you need 
to change it.

See “Using the Date and Time Format” on page 62 to learn about the date and time 
format.

When a cell is too small to display all its content, here is what happens: 
 If the content is a number or date, a clipping indicator appears.

 For other types of values, no clipping indicator appears. You can only see content 

that’s visible within the boundaries of its cell.

You can enlarge a cell so that more content is visible, and you can let numbers and 
dates spill into adjacent blank cells.

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To let a numeric or date value in a cell spill into adjacent cells, deselect Wrap Text in Cell 
in the Cells Inspector. 

If the adjacent cells are empty, they’ll display spilled content. But if they contain data, 
content that doesn’t fit isn’t displayed and the clipping indicator appears.

To cause content to wrap instead of spill, select Wrap in the Format Bar or Wrap Text in 
the Cells Inspector.

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If cell values aren’t visible because columns are too narrow, you can use the Fit button 
next to the Column Width controls in the Table Inspector to make values visible. Select 
a cell, column(s), or the table, and then click the Fit button.

You can also resize a column by dragging the right border of its reference tab to the 
right, or by using the Column Width controls in the Table Inspector. 

The clipping indicator