Why won’t Excel recognize dates? Excel does not recognize dates because they are not formatted perfectly. Hereinafter, we have mentioned all the methods by which you can format the date.

Learn how to highlight dates before today and a specific date with and without using the Today() function in Microsoft Excel.

It's easy to change the date format in Microsoft Excel. You just need to use the "Date" drop-down menu, which gives you plenty of options.

Excel for the web now supports conditional formatting, and the interface is easier to use than the desktop edition. Susan Harkins shows you how to use it.

There, you'll see the various date formatting options you can select to force Excel to see your value as a date.

The ramifications of missing a due date can range from simply adjusting the date to getting fired. Don't take chances with deadlines when a simple conditional format can remind you.