Value Function in Excel: Explained
In this article, you will learn what the VALUE formula in Excel does and how to use it in Excel
What does the VALUE formula do in Excel?
The VALUE function in Excel is used to convert a text string that represents a number into a numeric value. For example, if you have a cell that contains the text "123" and you want to use it in a calculation, you can use the VALUE function to convert it into the numeric value 123.
What are some uses of the VALUE function in Excel?
The VALUE formula in Excel can be useful in a variety of situations, including:
- Converting text to numbers: If you have a list of numbers stored as text in Excel, you can use the VALUE function to convert them into numerical values so that you can perform calculations and analysis on them.
- Cleaning up imported data: Sometimes, when you import data from external sources into Excel, numbers may be stored as text. You can use the VALUE function to convert these text values into numbers, so that you can work with them more easily.
- Data validation: The VALUE function can also be used in conjunction with data validation rules to ensure that a user enters a valid number in a cell. For example, you can use the formula =IFERROR(VALUE(A1), "") to ensure that the user enters a valid number in cell A1. If the user enters text or an invalid number, Excel will return an empty cell instead of an error message.
- Extracting numbers from text: If you have a cell that contains a mixture of text and numbers, you can use the VALUE function to extract the numerical values from the cell. For example, if cell A1 contains the text "$100", you can use the formula =VALUE(RIGHT(A1,LEN(A1)-1)) to extract the numerical value 100 from the text string.
Overall, the VALUE function in Excel is a useful tool for converting text values into numerical values, and for ensuring that users enter valid numerical data in cells.
How to use the VALUE formula in Excel?
The syntax for the VALUE function is:
Where "text" is the text string that you want to convert into a number. The text argument can be a reference to a cell that contains the text, or you can enter the text string directly into the formula.
Note: If the text string cannot be converted into a number, Excel will return the #VALUE! Error.
