Question: What is the easiest way to convert quarter notation "yyyyq1"- "yyyyq4" into proper Excel dates? We can assume e.g. that 1999q2 means 1st April 1999.

Answer: 
Perhaps simplify the month part.....

```
=DATE(LEFT(A1,4),RIGHT(A1)*3-2,1)

```
You can use the formula:

`=DATE(LEFT(A1,4), IF(RIGHT(A1,1)=1,1,IF(RIGHT(A1,1)=2,3,IF(RIGHT(A1,1)=3,6,IF(RIGHT(A1,1)=4,9,99)))), 1)`

The first part `LEFT(A1,4)` extracts the year. The second one maps the last digit in the string (`RIGHT(A1,1)`) to the month: 1=Jan, 3=Mar, 6=Jun, 9=Sep). Finally, the last argument is always 1, first day of the month.