Cell

Number Formats – Excel 2016

In Excel, number formats affect how values in cells are displayed

without actually modifying the values.

Number Formats Descrip1on

Iden%cal to Currency, except that this format aligns all currency
Accoun1ng symbols and decimal points of monetary values within the column.
This is for standardisa%on purposes in accoun%ng calcula%ons.

This format displays an addi%onal currency symbol beside numbers

Currency when used as monetary values. Also comprises similar format
specifica%ons as “Number”.

Allows us to configure our own formaCng seCngs, using exis%ng

Custom formats as a star%ng point.

Excel registers dates as numbers. By default, 1 January 1900 is

registered as “1”, 2 January 1900 is registered as “2” and so on.
If values are not entered into cells in an explicit date format (e.g. DD/
Date MM/YY) applying “Date format” to a numerical value will just convert
it to the corresponding date star%ng from 01/01/1900.
Date format can be customized according to individual preferences.
(e.g. 1-Jan, DD/MM, DD/MM/YY, Monday, 1 January)

This is the default format Excel applies when numbers are entered
into cells, and they are displayed as typed.
The General format will round numbers with decimals to fit in cells if
General
they are not wide enough.
If numbers are too large, General will display numbers in scien%fic
nota%on form.

Frac1on Displays numerical values as frac%ons. (You can specify frac%on type)
Cell Number Formats – Excel 2016

Number Formats Descrip1on

This format is more specific than General.

Allows us to indicate the number of decimal places to display, whether
Number
to include a comma as a thousands separator, and choose how to
display nega%ve numbers.

Percentage format will treat number entered in cells as percentages

expressed in decimal form. Therefore, when it will mul%ply the
Percentage
number by 100 and add a % sign. For example, “5.5” will be displayed
as 550%”.

Displays numbers using exponen%al nota%on. The number of decimal

Scien1fic
places to display can be specified.

Allows us to display numbers as highly specific configura%ons, such as

Special telephone numbers and zip/postal codes.

Displays the contents of a cell exactly how you enter it. If numbers are
Text entered into cells formaZed as “Text”, Excel will treat them as text
and therefore formulas and calcula%ons may not work correctly.

Keyboard Shortcuts for common Cell Number Formats.

Format Keyboard Shortcut

Custom Ctrl Shi] ~

Currency Ctrl Shi] $

Date Ctrl Shi] #

Percentage Ctrl Shi] %

Scien1fic Ctrl Shi] ^

Time Ctrl Shi] @