The behavior of different parts of the number line will be as follows:Īs indicated above, when there is just one section provided, it describes the format for all numbers.

What each section controls depends on how many sections there are in the number format code. A full number format code will be entered as follows: Section1 Section2 Section3 Section4 They can also control formatting for sub-sets of these parts, like all numbers greater than 100 and text-based data. These sections control formatting for one or more parts of the number line, including positive numbers, negative numbers, and zeros. Each number format code is made up of as many as 4 sections separated by a semi-colon ( ). We will get into the ways to describe the formats in a minute, but first we need to go over how Excel interprets those symbols. Number format codes are the string of symbols that define how Excel displays the data you store in cells. First, however, we need to understand how they work… Understanding the Number Format Codes These codes are the key to creating any custom number format in Excel. They are filled with symbols and codes:Ī number format code is entered into the Type field in the Custom category. The format types in this section are different from the pre-set options. Underneath the pre-defined number formats for common items like currency and percentage, there is a category called Custom. It will bring up the Format Cells menu in the Numbers tab: Click the arrow in the lower right corner of the Number section. To access this menu, look for the Number section of the Home menu tab. When it doesn’t guess correctly, you need to change the format. Excel has a few pre-set formatting options attached to buttons in the Home menu, but if those don’t meet your needs, you need to use the full options available in the Format Cells menu. When you enter data in a cell, Excel tries to guess what format it should have. This is the definitive guide to Excel’s custom number formats…īy default, each cell is formatted as “General”, which means it does not have any special formatting rules. Number formatting in Excel is pretty powerful but that means it is also somewhat complex. Whether you’re representing a little-used currency, tracking in-stock units, or want to color code profits and losses, you are in need of a an Excel custom number format. 6Using Fractions, Percentages, and Scientific NotationĮxcel has a lot of built-in number formats, but sometimes you need something specific.5Changing Decimal Places, Significant Digits, and Commas.3Changing Font Color with Number Format Codes.

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