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Convert to number excel shortcut

Advance pivot table tricks for reporting and analysis: https://youtu.be/j_ugVlcfm0k
Learn the right way to use Vlookup: https://youtu.be/JhISkMFhrik

Learn how to convert Numbers stored as Text to numbers for large data sets in fraction of a second and avoid vlookup errors arising from numbers stored as text. This also works if their is mixed data in the column i.e. there are numbers in some cells and text in other cells. This video will show you a very easy way of recoding text to number. Often, system generated reports show a mix of words and numbers in certain columns, and this causes problems when you try to use vlookup or other lookup function. To avoid this problem, you need to convert words to numbers, or letters to numbers. This video will show you the fastest way of converting text to numbers that I am aware of.

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There are multiple ways in which this error can be fixed. For example, we can click on the Excel option, "Convert to Number", or we can also use the data text to column feature. But the trick I like the most and that has worked for me over the years is, simply multiplying all the cells in the column with the number "1". The result is super fast and accurate. Using convert to numbers function has often resulted in slowing down Excel, or even freezing completely when the number of rows in the data set is very large. However, whenever I have used the multiplication of 1 with the cells trick, it has always worked in a flash and without freezing or slowing down Excel. That is why this trick is my number 1 recommendation when you are dealing with such a situation.

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The great thing about using this technique is that even if some of the rows are stored as numbers and some rows are stored as text, this technique will still work. That is if you multiply the number 1 with text, it does not impact that cell in any way, so your vlookup or any other lookup functions will continue to work.

Sometimes, both data sets may have a mix of numbers stored as text, and some text values. In that case, I use the same trick, but on both original source data and the look up data set. So, I multiply the number 1 in both columns (the column where the source data is, and the column where the final lookup is). When both data sets are converted to the same format, again all vlookup errors are fixed, and you can really work with the results of your lookup.

I really hope this trick helps you, as it helped over a number of years. Let me know what you think by leaving a comment in the comment section below. Do not forget to Like the video and subscribe to my channel for more informative videos related to Microsoft Excel, Powerpoint, SAP, financial analysis and variance analysis.

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Learn Accounting Finance.