How to use NUMBERVALUE function in Excel?

The `NUMBERVALUE` function in Excel is used to convert text that appears in a recognized format into a number, allowing you to take advantage of text-formatted numeric values in calculations. It’s particularly useful when dealing with international number formats or inconsistencies in decimal and group separators. Here’s how to use it:

Syntax

NUMBERVALUE(text, [decimal_separator], [group_separator])

text: This is the string that you want to convert into a number. It is a required argument.
decimal_separator: This specifies the character used as a decimal separator in the `text`. It is optional; if omitted, it will default to your system’s locale settings.
group_separator: This specifies the character used as a group separator (thousands separator) in the `text`. It is optional and, like the decimal separator, will default to your system locale settings if not specified.

Example Usage

     =NUMBERVALUE(A1)

     =NUMBERVALUE("1.234,56", ",", ".")

     =NUMBERVALUE("2.500,75", ",", ".")

Basic Conversion:

Suppose you have the text “1,234.56” in cell A1 and you want to convert it to a number. You can use:
This will return the number `1234.56` if your system recognizes `.` as the decimal and `,` as the group separator.

Using Different Separators:

If your text “1.234,56” uses a comma as the decimal and a period as the group separator. You can convert it with:
This returns `1234.56`.

Text Directly in Formula:

You might not only refer to a cell but directly provide the string in the formula:
This would again interpret the number accordingly depending on the specified separators.

Tips

Error Handling: If the `text` argument does not comply with the specified `decimal_separator` or `group_separator`, or if the format is not recognizable, the function will return a `#VALUE!` error.
Locale Settings: If your numbers are formatted according to different locale settings due to differing country formats, always specify the `decimal_separator` and `group_separator` to avoid misinterpretation.
Leading/Trailing Spaces: The `text` string is trimmed of leading and trailing spaces before conversion.

By mastering `NUMBERVALUE`, you ensure that data imported from diverse sources or formats can be accurately used in your calculations and statistical analysis within Excel.

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