How To Convert Text To A Number In Excel

Struggling to keep track of financial records? You can make things easier by converting text to a number in Excel. Unlock this powerful tool to better manage and analyze your data, giving you peace of mind and confidence in your numbers.

Getting started with Excel

Open Excel by clicking the program icon or searching for it in your computer’s search bar.

Customize the workbook: adjust font size and style, cell size, background color, and add borders.

Start entering data into cells. Format the data correctly to avoid errors.

Use formulas and functions to analyze the data. For example, use the SUM formula to add up a column of numbers.

Save the workbook. Save each version after making significant changes.

Did you know? Excel was first released in 1985 by Microsoft Corporation as part of their Office suite of software tools.

Understand Excel data types. Text/strings, numbers, Boolean values, and errors are some of the data types. Knowing how they interact with formulas and functions helps users manipulate their data.

Getting started with Excel is easy. Follow basic formatting guidelines and make use of Excel features. Create efficient workbooks for analysis and calculations.

Understanding Excel data types

Excel automatically sorts data based on its content type. To understand this better, open a new workbook and try the following:

1. Type “1” in cell A1.
2. Type “One” in cell B1.

Notice that the number “1” is right-justified, and its Number Format is General.

The word “One” is left-aligned, and its Number Format is Text.

So, format depends on content type. Custom Formatting lets users change display without changing values. This means numbers can be formatted as percentages or fractions without altering their real value.

This heading will focus on converting text to numbers in Excel – a crucial function when dealing with numerical data.

How to Convert Text to a Number in Excel

Ever tried to do calculations on numbers in Excel, but the cells were formatted as text? Frustrating, right? Here’s the good news: there are several ways to turn text into numbers in Excel. Let’s go through each method:

1. VALUE function for basic conversion
2. TEXT function for specific formats
3. DOLLAR function for currency conversion

You’ll know when to use each one by the end of this article. So don’t stress, and get ready to crunch those numbers!

Image credits: manycoders.com by Adam Arnold

Using the VALUE function for basic conversion

Pick the cell or range of cells that have the text to be converted.

Type =VALUE( at the beginning of the cell reference of your text.

Move your cursor and type ) at the end of the cell reference.

Hit Enter.

Your text values have been changed to numerical values with the VALUE function!

It’s easy and direct, making it great for basic transformations.

The VALUE function can switch any number or text in a cell to its numerical equal.

It works best using simple numbers saved as text, like “1” or “123”.

If you don’t want to do this every time you update your data, try Paste Special > Values to replace the original values with the new ones.

The VALUE function works for simple conversions, but more complicated formatting adjustments may be needed – that’s where the TEXT function comes in.

Using the TEXT function to handle specific formats

To use the TEXT function, take these 5 steps:

1. Pick the cell or cells containing the text you want to transform.
2. Click “fx” to open the Insert Function dialogue box.
3. Enter “TEXT” in the search bar and choose it from the list.
4. In the Function Arguments dialogue box, input the cell reference of the text you wish to convert. Also, type the desired format code within quotation marks (e.g., “MM/DD/YYYY” for a date).
5. Press Enter or click OK to apply the function to the chosen cells.

This is helpful when formatting dates or other numerical values that appear as text in your spreadsheet. For more complex Excel formulas, it’s important to understand how functions like TEXT work. Utilizing them correctly can save time and make data more precise.

If you have any trouble with the TEXT function or other related tools in Excel, find help or tutorials online. There are plenty of resources to help you become an expert at Microsoft Office applications.

Using the DOLLAR function for currency conversion

Select the cell with the text you want to convert.

Type “=” followed by “DOLLAR(” in the formula bar.

Click the cell with the text or enter its reference, then a comma.

Enter “2” as the second argument, to specify two decimal places.

Close the function with “)” and press enter.

This will convert text into a currency format, with your default symbol and two decimal places.

Using DOLLAR for currency conversion is useful if you need to quickly convert text. These steps let you do this easily, without changing each cell manually.

The DOLLAR function was first used in Lotus 1-2-3 in 1983. It has now become a staple feature in Excel and is widely used.

For more complex situations, there are advanced techniques. Stay tuned for our next section!

Advanced Techniques for Text to Number Conversion

Ever needed to convert text to a number in Excel? Needed to do calculations with numbers stored as text? Fear not! You can use advanced techniques. There are three sub-sections. Firstly, replace characters using REPLACE function. Secondly, substitute characters with SUBSTITUTE function. Lastly, combine LEFT and RIGHT functions for complex conversions. Master these skills and you’ll be a text-to-number pro!

Image credits: manycoders.com by Yuval Duncun

Replacing characters with the REPLACE function

1. Step 1: Select the cell(s) you want to change and click on the “Replace” button in the “Editing Group” of the “Home” tab.
2. Step 2: Enter the old value you want to replace, followed by the new one.
3. Step 3: Click on “Replace All” and watch Excel update all your text cells.

Replacing characters with the REPLACE function is very useful. For example, if you need to enter a phone number but it’s wrong, you can search for the incorrect number and replace it with the correct one. This ensures all your data is accurate.

You can also use the REPLACE function to change dates from MM/DD/YYYY to DD/MM/YYYY.

If you’re still having trouble converting text to numbers, make sure any extra characters (e.g. spaces) are removed. Also, check for any non-numeric characters (like dollar signs, commas, or percentage symbols). You’ll need to remove these before converting.

Finally, in our next technique – SUBSTITUTE function – we’ll explore another powerful way to work with text-based data in Excel.

Substituting characters with the SUBSTITUTE function

Text:

Select the cell you want the converted number to appear in.
Enter the formula =SUBSTITUTE(A1,” “,””) into the formula bar. A1 is the cell containing the text to convert.
This formula will remove any spaces within the text string.
If data contains other characters to remove, add them to the formula with quotation marks: =SUBSTITUTE(A1,”,”,””).
To replace specific characters, enter the old and new characters in the formula: =SUBSTITUTE(A1,”old character”,”new character”).
Press enter to complete the formula.
Using SUBSTITUTE can make data easier to work with and manipulate.
It can also be used with other numerical conversion formulas.
LEFT and RIGHT functions can be used to extract and convert specific portions of a text string.

Combining LEFT and RIGHT functions for complex conversion

Determining the length of a text string you need to convert is step one. Then, use the LEFT function to extract characters from one end of the text string. And, use the RIGHT function to extract characters from the other end. Combine both extracted strings with an ampersand (&).

Doing this can make data entries useful. But, combining LEFT and RIGHT functions for complex conversion can be hard due to variations in text length or formatting. You need to understand how the formulas work, so you can fix any issues that arise.

For example, if you have a text string composed of letters before numbers (e.g., “ABC123”), you’ll want to determine which character falls before or after each number.

One example where combining LEFT and RIGHT functions for complex conversion worked was with a financial team. They evaluated employee salary information from various departments. Doing this reorganized strings in different formats into numbers, making comparisons between departments easier.

When you have formula execution errors or complications during a conversion process, it’s best to double-check cell references or come up with alternative approaches. Then, you’ll find an optimal solution.

Next: Troubleshooting Common Conversion Issues.

Troubleshooting Common Conversion Issues

Excel frustrates me! I know it too well. Converting text to numbers can be a total roadblock. Therefore, we must talk about how to convert text to numbers in Excel. We have to tackle conversion problems to get the right results. This includes getting rid of extra spaces, removing extra characters, and also addressing formatting issues. All of these are key elements of the conversion process.

Image credits: manycoders.com by James Jones

Identifying extra spaces and removing them

Identifying extra spaces and removing them is a must-do for converting text to numbers in Excel. These extra blank spaces can cause errors. To do this, follow these four steps:

1. Select the cell(s) with the data to convert.
2. Go to the “Data” tab and click on “Text to Columns.”
3. In the “Convert Text to Columns Wizard,” choose “Delimited” and click “Next.”
4. Uncheck all delimiters (such as commas or tabs) and click “Finish.”

This should remove any extraneous spaces, making it easier to convert text values into numbers.

Remember a few things when identifying extra spaces. 1. Some cells may have hidden spaces that need to be identified and removed manually. 2. Multiple cells may contain extra spaces – highlight all cells containing data and run the Text to Columns Wizard at once for batch removal.

A colleague of mine faced trouble converting a list of numbers from text format into an Excel spreadsheet. Despite trying many methods, she got a #VALUE error message – until she spotted empty strings in certain cells. After removing them with the Text to Columns tool, she completed the task.

It’s important to check for extra space characters and other special characters that might disrupt conversion. The next heading will cover this in more detail.

Checking for extra characters and dealing with them

James recently changed jobs and needs help managing his expenses with an Excel sheet from his new company. But, when he tried to update the figures, he saw red highlighted cells. He then noticed currency signs obstructing the numeric data’s conversion process. This resulted in cells not automating, as the value columns contained non-numerical data.

So, here are six steps to check for extra characters and deal with them:

1. Select the range of cells you want to convert from text to numbers.
2. Go to the Data tab and select Text to Columns in the Data Tools group.
3. In the Convert Text to Columns Wizard, choose the Delimited option, then click Next.
4. Uncheck all options except Space or whichever delimiter separates your values. Click Next.
5. Choose General as the Column data format and click Finish.
6. The values will now be converted from text to numbers without any extra characters.

Therefore, it’s important to scan carefully for unwanted extras like spaces, tabs or trailing space-extra cells before performing conversion.

Addressing extra formatting that may cause issues

Start by selecting the cell/range of cells you want to convert. Go to the Home tab and select the Number Format dropdown. Pick the General option to remove any extra formatting.

If it doesn’t work, step two: go back to the Number Format dropdown and choose Text. Type a ‘1’ in another cell, copy it (Ctrl+C). Go back to the original cell and Paste Special (Ctrl+Alt+V). Choose Multiply from the options.

If these don’t work, it could be due to unnecessary characters. Go to the Data tab and pick Text-to-Columns. Follow the instructions till Step 3: Column Data Format. Select General and click Finish.

Formatting can also be hidden in spaces or line breaks. Select the range of cells. Press Ctrl+F. Type a space into Find What. Click Replace All (with nothing in Replace With). Repeat for any other unnecessary characters.

Lastly, if that doesn’t work, consider using formulas like VALUE or SUMPRODUCT. It can be frustrating dealing with formatting, but it can save a lot of time in the long run.

FAQs about How To Convert Text To A Number In Excel

How to Convert Text to a Number in Excel?

Converting text to numbers in Excel can be done through various methods.

What is the easiest way to convert text to numbers in Excel?

The easiest way is to use the VALUE function. Simply select the cell or range of cells containing the text and enter the formula =VALUE(cell reference) and press Enter.

What if the text data contains non-numeric characters?

If the text data contains non-numeric characters, such as commas or dollar signs, you will need to remove them first before using the VALUE function. This can be done using the SUBSTITUTE function, which replaces specific text with other text.

Can I convert multiple cells at once?

Yes, you can select a range of cells and apply the same formula to all of them simultaneously.

Is it possible to convert text to numbers using a keyboard shortcut?

Yes, you can use the keyboard shortcut CTRL + SHIFT + ~ (tilde) to convert a selected range of cells to numbers.

Will converting text to numbers affect the original data?

No, converting text to numbers will create a new column or overwrite the existing data with the converted values. The original data will remain unchanged.