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VALUE vs NUMBERVALUE: converting text to numbers in Excel and Sheets
Excel & Google Sheets
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Step by step
- 1Put a text number in A2, for example the string "1250.75" (period as decimal separator).
- 2In B2 enter =VALUE(A2). If your locale uses a period as the decimal separator, this returns 1250.75 as a number.
- 3If the source data uses a different convention — for example European format "1.250,75" (period as thousands, comma as decimal) — use NUMBERVALUE instead: =NUMBERVALUE(A2,",",".").
- 4The second argument of NUMBERVALUE is the decimal separator; the third is the group (thousands) separator.
- 5After conversion, verify with ISNUMBER(B2) that the cell is truly numeric before using it in calculations.
Tips
- VALUE also converts date and time strings that Excel recognizes (e.g. "2024-06-01" returns the date serial). NUMBERVALUE does not handle date strings.
- If VALUE returns a #VALUE! error, the string contains characters Excel's locale cannot parse — switch to NUMBERVALUE with explicit separators or use SUBSTITUTE to strip formatting first.
- NUMBERVALUE is not available in Excel versions before 2013; in older workbooks, chain SUBSTITUTE calls to normalize separators before passing to VALUE.
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Frequently asked
When should I prefer NUMBERVALUE over VALUE?
Whenever your spreadsheet is shared across locales or imports data from an international source with non-standard separators. Hardcoding the separators in NUMBERVALUE makes the formula locale-independent.
Does Google Sheets support NUMBERVALUE?
Yes. NUMBERVALUE behaves identically in Google Sheets, making it a reliable cross-platform choice for locale-safe number parsing.
What happens if the text contains currency symbols like $ or €?
Both VALUE and NUMBERVALUE will return #VALUE! if the string contains non-numeric characters like currency symbols. Use SUBSTITUTE to remove them first: =VALUE(SUBSTITUTE(A2,"$","")).