Numbers that are stored as text can cause unexpected results, like an uncalculated formula showing instead of a result.
Most of the time, Excel will recognize this, and you'll see an alert next to the cell where numbers are being stored as text. If you see the alert:
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Select the cells you want to convert, and then select the error notification
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Select Convert to Number from the menu.
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You will see the values left aligned and green triangle warning removed.
Check out Format numbers to learn more about formatting numbers and text in Excel.
Notes: If the alert button is not available, you can enable error alerts by doing the following:
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In Excel, select File, then Options.
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Select Formulas, then under Error Checking, select the Enable background error checking check box.
Use a formula to convert from text to numbers
You can use the VALUE function to return just the numeric value of the text.
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Insert a new column next to the cells with text.
In this example, column E contains the text stored as numbers. Column F is the new column.
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In one of the cells of the new column, type =VALUE() and inside the parentheses, type a cell reference that contains text stored as numbers.
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Next, fill the cell's formula down, into the other cells. To do this, hover your cursor on the lower-right corner of the cell until it changes to a plus sign.
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Click and drag down to fill the formula to the other cells. You can now use this new column, or you can copy and paste these new values to the original column.
Notes: To copy and paste these new values to the original column
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Select the cells with the new formula.
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Press Ctrl + C. Select the first cell of the original column.
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On the Home tab, select the arrow below Paste, and then select Paste Special > Values or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + Shift + V.
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Numbers that are stored as text can cause unexpected results, like an uncalculated formula showing instead of a result.
Use a formula to convert from text to numbers
You can use the VALUE function to return just the numeric value of the text.
-
Insert a new column
Insert a new column next to the cells with text. In this example, column E contains the text stored as numbers. Column F is the new column.
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Use the VALUE function
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Rest your cursor here
Next, fill the cell's formula down, into the other cells.
To do this, rest your cursor on the lower-right corner of the cell until it changes to a plus sign.
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Click and drag down
Click and drag down to fill the formula to the other cells. You can now use this new column, or you can copy and paste these new values to the original column.
To do this:
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Select the cells with the new formula.
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Press Ctrl + C. Select the first cell of the original column.
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On the Home tab, select the arrow below Paste, and then select Paste Special > Values. or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+ Shift + V.
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