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Cells in a spreadsheet can contain many different kinds of data. Number
formatting allows you to define a specific appearance and format for number values entered
into cells.
For example, if you are creating an invoice for services, it would likely contain a
columns of dates, text, and money amounts. It may look something like this:
Date |
Description |
Hours |
Rate |
Amount |
6/20/98 |
Technical consulting services |
5.0 |
$50.00 |
$250.00 |
6/21/98 |
Installation of new computer |
3.0 |
$25.00 |
$75.00 |
|
Totals |
|
|
$325.00 |
This table uses at least three different number formats: date, simple
decimal, and currency formats. Number formatting provides the ability to pre-define
how numbers or text appear in a cell. This saves you from having to type each number
in the exact same format.
Number formats for cells are set using the Number Format dialog box (shown below).
In this dialog box, the formats are displayed using a standard format
notation. The following table describes these conventions.
Character |
Description |
# |
Displays only significant digits. Insignificant zeros are omitted. For example,
in the format #.###, 0.010 would be displayed .01. |
0 |
Displays digits regardless of significance. For example, in the format 0.000,
0.010 would be displayed as 0.010. |
? |
Adds a space for insignificant zeros on either side of a decimal point. This is
used to ensure decimal points align correctly and that fractions appear correctly
formatted. For example, the format # ???/??? would display 1.5
as 1--1/2-- where the dashes represent hard-spaces. |
$ |
Dollar sign. Used for currency values. |
% |
Percentage sign. Used for percentage formats. |
( ) |
Parenthesis. Used in place of negative sign. In the format (0.00),
-1.55 would appear as (1.55). |
[Red] |
Indicates that the value is red when negative. In the format [Red](#.##),
-1.50 would appear as (1.5). |
E |
Scientific notation indicator. In the format 0.00E-00, 0.000000000005
would appear as 5.00E-12. |
- Select the cells, rows, or columns you want to format.
- Click the Number Formatting tool
. The Number Format dialog box is
displayed.

- In the Categories list, select the type of number format you wish to
apply. The Description box displays a brief description of each
category when selected.
- In the Types list, select the proper format for the number. Use
the standard notation conventions table above to determine which format is appropriate for
the cells you selected. The Sample box displays an example of how
that type of number looks.

- Enter the number of Decimal Places for the number. The
spreadsheet automatically rounds numbers to the configured number of decimal places.
For example, if you set a cell to have 2 decimal places, 2.995
would round to 3.00. .
- Check Use 1000 Separator (,) to place a comma between every three whole
digits. When checked, the display in the Types list changes to indicate how the
commas are applied to the format. Uncheck the box to omit commas between thousands.
- When finished, click OK. The selected cells are formatted
appropriately.
If a number value is too large for a cell, the cell displays pound signs (####).
To display the entire number, the column must be widened. A truncated value remains
in the cell and continues to participate in any formulas or references. The display
of pound signs merely indicates that the column is not large enough to display the
number.

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