5 Ways to Make Excel Save Numbers as Text

When working with Microsoft Excel, users often encounter the issue of numbers being automatically formatted as numeric data, which can lead to undesirable results, especially when you want these numbers to be treated as text strings. Whether you're dealing with product codes, ZIP codes, or any identifier starting with zero, it's crucial to know how to make Excel save these as text. Here are five effective strategies to ensure Excel treats your numbers as text:

1. Text Function

Using the TEXT function allows you to convert numbers to text within your formulas:

=TEXT(A1,“0”)

• Here, A1 is the cell containing the number you wish to convert.
• The format "0" tells Excel to convert the value into a text string without decimal places or any other formatting.

Steps:

1. Enter the TEXT function in the cell where you want the result.
2. Ensure the cell referenced contains the number you need as text.

⚠️ Note: This method creates a formula-based approach, requiring manual re-entry if the original data changes.

2. Preceding with an Apostrophe




A straightforward method to convert any numeric value into text is by:

• Typing an apostrophe (‘) before the number in the cell.

This tells Excel to treat the content as a text string:

• '123456 will become "123456" as text.

🛈 Note: When you enter the apostrophe, Excel will not display it, but the cell format will change to text, visible in the formula bar.

3. Formatting Cells as Text




Before entering data, you can format cells to treat all future inputs as text:

1. Select the range or cell where you’ll enter the data.
2. Right-click, choose ‘Format cells’, and select ‘Text’ from the Number tab.

Any number entered into these cells will now be treated as text automatically:

Benefits:



• Prevents numbers from being converted into date formats.
• Maintains leading zeros.

4. Import Data with Text Qualifiers




When importing data from an external source, use text qualifiers:

• During the import process, specify quotes ("") or any other character as a text qualifier to ensure numbers are recognized as text.

Steps:



1. Open Excel, go to ‘Data’ tab, then ‘Get Data’ or ‘From Text’ for external files.
2. In the ‘Text Import Wizard’, select ‘Delimited’ as the file type and choose the delimiter.
3. Use the ‘Text Qualifier’ to wrap your data in quotes, forcing Excel to recognize it as text.

5. Using the Paste Special Option




If you already have numbers formatted as text in another worksheet or document, use:

• Copy the cells with numbers formatted as text.
• Select the cells where you want to paste these values.
• Right-click, choose 'Paste Special', and select 'Values'.

Here are the steps to follow:

1. Select the cells with the formatted text.
2. Copy the cells using Ctrl+C or right-click and 'Copy'.
3. Select the target cells, right-click, then 'Paste Special'.
4. From the 'Paste Special' dialog, choose 'Values' and 'Text' under 'Operation'.

Utilizing these strategies ensures your Excel worksheets handle numbers as text consistently, reducing errors and enhancing data integrity.

Summary




Each of these methods provides a unique approach to ensure Excel treats numbers as text:

• The TEXT Function allows dynamic conversion within formulas.
• Preceding with an apostrophe is a quick fix for individual cells.
• Formatting cells as text provides a preventative measure for future data entries.
• Using text qualifiers during import helps maintain data integrity from external sources.
• Paste Special offers a post-entry correction method for existing data.

By understanding and applying these techniques, you'll have greater control over how numbers are treated in your Excel documents, leading to cleaner datasets and more accurate reporting.

Why do numbers in Excel often automatically change to dates or scientific notation?


+

Excel is designed to recognize patterns in data input to provide convenient data handling. When it detects something that looks like a date or a very large or small number, it might default to formatting these as dates or scientific notation, respectively. This can interfere with text-based data entries like serial numbers or ZIP codes.

How can I ensure that Excel retains leading zeros when saving numbers as text?


+

Formatting cells as ‘Text’ before entering data will ensure Excel retains leading zeros. This applies to entering data manually or through import. If cells are formatted as General, Excel will remove leading zeros when interpreting the value as a number.

Can I make Excel automatically format all imported numbers as text?


+

Yes, by using the ‘Text Import Wizard’ or specifying the format during data import, you can ensure numbers are interpreted as text. Additionally, pre-formatting destination cells to text can handle any overflow text data correctly.

What happens if I use the TEXT function on data that’s already in text format?


+

The TEXT function will simply return the original text value without alteration, but it’s best to ensure the source data is in a numeric format before applying the function to avoid any unintended formatting changes.