When entering numbers into a spreadsheet, one often needs to ensure that the number format is consistent. For example, if the numbers represent prices, you may want to display the appropriate currency symbol or you may simply want to ensure that the number of decimals displayed is always the same.
Unless the user specifies otherwise, all numbers in Excel are rendered in the "General" format. What this means is that numbers are displayed exactly as one enters them: if you enter two decimals, two decimals are displayed; if you went to one decimal, one decimal is displayed; and so forth.
When specifying the number format, the best idea is usually to select the whole column. To do this, click on the letter or letters representing the column. (Any text contained in the selection will not be affected by the number format you specify.)
Number formats are displayed in the "Numbers" section of the Home Tab of the Ribbon. There are three main formats related to numbers: the first is called "Number", the second "Currency" and the third "Accounting". To gain access to the full range of number formats, choose "More Number Formats" from the drop-down menu. Another way of accessing the same dialog box is to click on the launch button in the "Numbers" section of the Home Tab.
When you click on each of the number formats, you are presented with a series of choices which enable you to refine the way that the format will work. For example, if our numbers refer to an hourly rate, we would probably click the "Number" category in the left column and then specify two decimal places. The option labelled "Use Thousands Separator" will insert the appropriate separator to demarcate thousands. The separator which Excel uses will depend on your locality: for example, if you are in the UK or USA, a comma will be used; if you are in a European country, a dot will be used.
The final option in the "Number" category lets you control the display of negative numbers. The default is to preced the number with a minus sign and to leave the colour of the text unchanged. However, you can also suppress the minus sign and change the colour of negative numbers to red; or, if you prefer, you can change the colour of negative numbers to red as well as displaying the minus sign.
Clicking the "Currency" category, reveals pretty much the same choices as "Number" with the addition of a currency symbol. You can specify which currency symbol is used or you can dispense with the currency symbol altogether.
The "Accounting" category is pretty much the same as "Currency". Once again, you can choose a particular currency symbol. However, you will notice that you do not have any choices relating to negative numbers. The convention in accountancy circles is to always place negative numbers in brackets.
As well as using the number dialog box, you'll notice a series of handy buttons which can apply each of the number formats with one click. There are also a couple of buttons for increasing and decreasing the number of decimals displayed in the selected cells.
Finally, there may be times where you enter a number into a cell but do not want Excel to treat it as a number. For example, if you have a column of data representing an ID, although the ID may be numeric, you may not want Excel to regard it as a number or to modify it in any way. You will probably want it to simply stay exactly as it was entered. Whenever that's the case, it's best to format the number as "Text". The simplest way of doing this is to highlight the appropriate column and in the number dialog box choose "Text" as the category. - 16492
Unless the user specifies otherwise, all numbers in Excel are rendered in the "General" format. What this means is that numbers are displayed exactly as one enters them: if you enter two decimals, two decimals are displayed; if you went to one decimal, one decimal is displayed; and so forth.
When specifying the number format, the best idea is usually to select the whole column. To do this, click on the letter or letters representing the column. (Any text contained in the selection will not be affected by the number format you specify.)
Number formats are displayed in the "Numbers" section of the Home Tab of the Ribbon. There are three main formats related to numbers: the first is called "Number", the second "Currency" and the third "Accounting". To gain access to the full range of number formats, choose "More Number Formats" from the drop-down menu. Another way of accessing the same dialog box is to click on the launch button in the "Numbers" section of the Home Tab.
When you click on each of the number formats, you are presented with a series of choices which enable you to refine the way that the format will work. For example, if our numbers refer to an hourly rate, we would probably click the "Number" category in the left column and then specify two decimal places. The option labelled "Use Thousands Separator" will insert the appropriate separator to demarcate thousands. The separator which Excel uses will depend on your locality: for example, if you are in the UK or USA, a comma will be used; if you are in a European country, a dot will be used.
The final option in the "Number" category lets you control the display of negative numbers. The default is to preced the number with a minus sign and to leave the colour of the text unchanged. However, you can also suppress the minus sign and change the colour of negative numbers to red; or, if you prefer, you can change the colour of negative numbers to red as well as displaying the minus sign.
Clicking the "Currency" category, reveals pretty much the same choices as "Number" with the addition of a currency symbol. You can specify which currency symbol is used or you can dispense with the currency symbol altogether.
The "Accounting" category is pretty much the same as "Currency". Once again, you can choose a particular currency symbol. However, you will notice that you do not have any choices relating to negative numbers. The convention in accountancy circles is to always place negative numbers in brackets.
As well as using the number dialog box, you'll notice a series of handy buttons which can apply each of the number formats with one click. There are also a couple of buttons for increasing and decreasing the number of decimals displayed in the selected cells.
Finally, there may be times where you enter a number into a cell but do not want Excel to treat it as a number. For example, if you have a column of data representing an ID, although the ID may be numeric, you may not want Excel to regard it as a number or to modify it in any way. You will probably want it to simply stay exactly as it was entered. Whenever that's the case, it's best to format the number as "Text". The simplest way of doing this is to highlight the appropriate column and in the number dialog box choose "Text" as the category. - 16492
About the Author:
The The writer of this article is a training consultant with TrainingCompany.Com, an independent computer training company offering Microsoft Excel training courses at their central London training centre.
