Excel Decimal Format Options

Excel lets you control the number of decimal places displayed by data.

The options for displaying decimals includes

• altering existing data using the ribbon
• setting the number of decimal places for existing data or for empty cells using the Format Cells dialog box
• Altering the default number of decimal places shown in all cells in a worksheet

Individual or groups of cells rather than have the text spread over multiple cells in the worksheet.

For numbers that are already entered on a worksheet, you can increase or decrease the number of places that are displayed after the decimal point by using the toolbar buttons. You can also specify the number of decimal places that you want to use when you apply a built-in number format to the cells or data. To have Excel enter the decimal points for you, you can specify a fixed decimal point for numbers.

Select the cell or range of cells that contains the numbers for which you want to change the decimal places. cell rather than have the text spread over multiple cells in the worksheet.

On the Formatting toolbar, do one of the following:

1. Click Increase Decimal Button image to display more digits after the decimal point
2. Click Decrease Decimal Button image to display fewer digits after the decimal point
3. In cell E1 type the text: Monthly Expenses and press the Enter key on the keyboard.
4. By entering data into E1 the label in cell D1 should be cut off at the end of cell D1. As well, the text in E1 should spill over into the cell to the right.
5. To correct the problems with these labels, drag select cells D1 and E1 on the spreadsheet to highlight them.
6. Click on the Home tab.
7. Click on the Wrap Text button on the ribbon.
8. The labels in cells D1 and E1 should now both be fully visible with the text broken into two lines with no spill over into adjacent cells.

1. On the Format menu, click Cells, and then click the Number tab.
2. Click Decrease Decimal Button image to display fewer digits after the decimal point
3. In the Category list, click Number, Currency, Accounting, Percentage, or Scientific.
4. In the Decimal places box, enter the number of decimal places that you want to display.
5. To correct the problems with these labels, drag select cells D1 and E1 on the spreadsheet to highlight them.
6. Click on the Home tab.
7. Click on the Wrap Text button on the ribbon.
8. The labels in cells D1 and E1 should now both be fully visible with the text broken into two lines with no spill over into adjacent cells.

On the Formatting toolbar, do one of the following:

1. On the Tools menu, click Options.
2. On the Edit tab, select the Fixed decimal check box.
3. In the Places box, enter a positive number for digits to the right of the decimal point or a negative number for digits to the left of the decimal point
4. In the Decimal places box, enter the number of decimal places that you want to display.
5. To correct the problems with these labels, drag select cells D1 and E1 on the spreadsheet to highlight them.
6. Click on the Home tab.
7. Click on the Wrap Text button on the ribbon.
8. The labels in cells D1 and E1 should now both be fully visible with the text broken into two lines with no spill over into adjacent cells.

For example, if you enter 3 in the Places box and then type 2834 in a cell, the value will be 2.834. If you enter -3 in the Places box and then type 283 in a cell, the value will be 283000. Click OK. The FIX indicator appears in the status bar. On the worksheet, click a cell, and then type the number that you want. Note The data that you typed before you selected the Fixed decimal check box is not affected. Tips To temporarily override the fixed decimal option, type a decimal point when you type the number. To remove decimal points from numbers that you already entered with fixed decimals: On the Edit tab of the Options dialog box, clear the Fixed decimal check box. In an empty cell, type a number such as 10, 100, or 1,000, depending on the number of decimal places that you want to remove. For example, type 100 in the cell if the numbers contain two decimal places and you want to convert them to whole numbers. Click Copy Button image (or press CTRL+C) to copy the cell to the Clipboard, and then select the cells that contain the numbers with decimal places.