# How to convert numbers stored as text to numbers in Excel

Use =VALUE(A2), or multiply by 1. The result is a real number that sums, sorts and looks up correctly.

**Excel:** `=VALUE(A2)` (Every current version)

**Google Sheets:** the same formula works.

## Example

Sample data (row 1 is the header):

| A | B | C | D |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Imported amount | Number |  | Total |
| 1,250 |  |  |  |
|  980 |  |  |  |
| 2310 |  |  |  |
| 45.50 |  |  |  |
| 12,000 |  |  |  |

Formula in B2, filled to B6: `=VALUE(A2)`

Result: 1,250.00; 980.00; 2,310.00; 45.50; 12,000.00

## How it works

Imported numbers often arrive as text: they sit on the left of the cell, SUM skips them and lookups fail. VALUE reads the text the way you would type it, including thousands separators and spaces, and returns a number.

## Other ways

- `=A2*1`: Any arithmetic converts text that looks like a number. `=--A2` is the same trick.

## Common mistakes

- Text with letters or symbols VALUE doesn't recognize returns #VALUE!. Clean them out first with SUBSTITUTE.
- Numbers written with a comma as the decimal separator (1.250,50) need NUMBERVALUE, which takes the separators as arguments: `=NUMBERVALUE(A2,",",".")`.
- The converted numbers live in a new column. To replace the originals, copy and Paste Values over them.
- Without formulas, select the cells and use the warning icon's "Convert to Number".

## Questions

**How do I know if a number is stored as text?**

It's left-aligned by default, often with a green triangle, and `=ISTEXT(A2)` returns TRUE.

**How do I convert text dates?**

Use `=DATEVALUE(A2)` and format the result as a date.

Every formula and result on this page was checked by running it in the Spreadsheet Practice formula engine on 2026-10-29.

Source: https://spreadsheetpractice.com/formulas/convert-text-to-numbers