How do I convert text to numbers in Excel?

For plain numeric text, select the cells and use the green-triangle warning menu's Convert to Number, or copy a blank 1 and Paste Special > Multiply. For values with currency signs, commas, or parentheses, use =VALUE() with cleanup or Tellsheet's Convert Text to Number, which handles all of those in one step.

Why won't my numbers add up (SUM returns 0)?

They're stored as text, so SUM ignores them. Text-numbers are usually left-aligned and may show a green triangle. Convert them to real numbers and SUM will work. Tellsheet's Convert Text to Number fixes a whole column at once.

How do I handle currency signs and parentheses?

$1,200.00 and (1,200) are text to Excel. The error-triangle trick won't touch them. Tellsheet's Convert Text to Number strips currency symbols and thousands separators and reads accountancy parentheses as negatives — (1,200) becomes -1200.

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How to Convert Text to Numbers in Excel

Numbers pasted from a PDF, a bank export, or a web page often land as text — left-aligned, marked with a green triangle, and invisible to SUM. Here's how to turn them into real numbers, currency signs and all.

Last updated: August 2026

Stored as text		Real number
"1,200"	→	1200
"$3,450.50"	→	3450.5
"(1,200)"	→	-1200

Method 1 — the green-triangle menu

Select the cells that show a little green triangle.
Click the yellow warning icon and choose Convert to Number.

The fastest fix — but only for plain numeric text. Values with a $, thousands commas, or parentheses won't budge.

Method 2 — Paste Special > Multiply

Type 1 in a spare cell and copy it.
Select your text-numbers, right-click > Paste Special, choose Multiply, OK.

Coerces plain numeric text to numbers in place. Still doesn't handle currency symbols or parentheses.

Method 3 — the VALUE function

=VALUE(A2) converts numeric text, but chokes on $, commas in the wrong place, or (1,200) — you end up nesting SUBSTITUTE calls to strip them first.

The 1-click way — Tellsheet

Convert Text to Number handles the messy cases the built-in tricks can't: it strips currency symbols and thousands separators, and reads accountancy parentheses as negatives — so (1,200) becomes -1200 — writing real numbers in place. Anything that isn't a number is left untouched. Every change previews first and runs entirely on your computer. Pairs with Clean and Find Hidden Characters.

Frequently asked questions

Why does SUM return 0?

The values are text, so SUM skips them. Convert them to real numbers and it works.

How do I convert text to numbers?

For plain text, use the green-triangle menu or Paste Special > Multiply. For currency/commas/parentheses, use Tellsheet's Convert Text to Number.

How do I handle $ signs and parentheses?

The built-in tricks ignore them. Convert Text to Number strips currency and separators and reads (1,200) as -1200.

How can I tell a text-number from a real one?

Text is usually left-aligned and may show a green triangle; real numbers are right-aligned. Find Hidden Characters can reveal stray spaces that keep a value as text.

Related Excel guides

Fix text-numbers in one click

Convert Text to Number turns messy, text-stored figures — currency and all — into real numbers that calculate.

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