Why is Excel Changing My Numbers to Decimals? (2 Solutions)

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Sometimes, Excel may unexpectedly change your numbers and transform them into decimals, leading you to repeatedly correct your entries. However, there is a straightforward solution to this issue.

In this Excel tutorial, you will learn about potential reasons for Excel changing numbers to decimals and discover effective solutions.

Consider the following dataset where students’ marks are entered in column C. While entering 62 in cell C5, it unexpectedly becomes 0.62. We have solved this issue here to ensure that the values remain unchanged.

Overview of Why Excel is Changing My Numbers to Decimals


2 Potential Reasons and Solutions for Excel Changing Numbers to Decimals

Excel may change numbers to decimals due to existing workbook or cell formatting. Here are 2 potential reasons with solutions for Excel changing numbers to decimals:

Reason 1: Automatically insert a decimal point Option is Enabled

The Automatically insert a decimal point option is designed to automatically insert a decimal point when you enter numbers without decimals. If this feature is enabled in your workbook, then Excel may change your numbers into decimals without warning. While it can be useful in certain scenarios, it may cause issues, especially when working with whole numbers.

You may notice the problem when entering numerical data, such as students’ marks. For instance, if you input “62” in a cell, Excel may automatically interpret it as “0.62” if the Automatically insert a decimal point option is enabled. This can lead to unintended changes in your data.

Automatically insert a decimal point is enabled

Solution: Disable Automatically insert a decimal point Option

To fix this issue, follow the steps below:

  1. Go to the File tab of your Excel file.
    Utilizing Excel Options Dialog Box
  2. Select Options from the left sidebar.
    Choosing Options from Menu
  3. In the Excel Options dialog box, go to the Advanced tab.
  4. Within the Editing options section, uncheck the box for Automatically insert a decimal point.
  5. Press OK to save the changes.
    Utilizing Excel Options Wizard

By disabling this option, Excel will no longer automatically convert whole numbers to decimals upon entry.

Utilizing Excel Options Dialog Box to Stop Changing Numbers to Decimals

Reason 2: If Cells Are Pre-formatted With Decimal Places

Another reason your numbers may change to decimals in Excel is if cells are pre-formatted with decimal places. Specifically, if your dataset is pre-formatted as Currency, Accounting, or Percentage; Excel may display numbers with more decimal places than desired. This is because the Currency, Accounting, or Percentage format applies two decimal places by default to the entered numbers, resulting in unexpected changes.

Excel Changing Numbers to Decimals If Currency Format Is Used

Solution: Changing Decimal Places to 0 in Format Cells Dialog Box

To resolve this problem, use the following steps:

  1. Select the cell range affected by the issue.
  2. Go to the Home tab.
  3. Click the Format Cells dialog box launcher from the Number group.
    Opening Format Cells dialog boxThis will open the Format Cells dialog box.
  4. In the Format Cells dialog box:
    • Change the Decimal places to 0.
    • Click OK to apply the changes.

    Working on the Format Cells Dialog Box

By changing the decimal places to 0 in the affected cells, Excel will not alter your numbers to decimals.

Applying Changes in Format Cells Dialog Box to Stop Changing Numbers to Decimals

Read More: How to Stop Excel from Auto Formatting Numbers 


How to Stop Excel from Rounding Large Numbers

In addition to changes in decimal formatting, another common concern users encounter in Excel is the rounding of large numbers to exponential form (e.g., 3E+06). Excel often does this for data clarity or to present data more concisely.

How to Stop Excel from Rounding Large Numbers

While this format is efficient for calculations, it may not be ideal for sharing or presenting data with others who need a more straightforward representation.

Follow the steps below to retain the full numerical values without rounding:

  1. Select the range of cells that contain the rounding numbers.
  2. Go to the Home tab > Number group > Number Format drop-down > Number.
    Changing Number FormatThis will convert the rounding numbers into complete numerical values. However, you might see hashtag (#) characters instead of values. It’s because the column width is not sufficient enough to display the value.
  3. To remove the hashtag characters, hover the cursor on the right side of the column bar.
  4. Double-click on it.
    Adjusting Column Width

As a result, Excel will display the complete numerical values without rounding, offering a more accurate representation of your data.

Stopping Excel from Rounding Large Numbers

Read More: How to Stop Excel from Changing Numbers to Scientific Notation


Download Practice Workbook

You may download the following Excel workbook for better understanding and practice yourself.


Conclusion

In conclusion, Excel may change numbers to decimals if the Automatically insert a decimal point option is enabled or if cells are pre-formatted with decimal values, but these issues can easily be resolved by disabling the option or removing the decimal places. Additionally, Excel often rounds large numbers for clarity, but this can be avoided by formatting the cells as numbers. If you have any further questions or suggestions, feel free to share them in the comment section or on our forum. Thank you!


Frequently Asked Questions

How do I convert decimals to whole numbers in Excel?

To convert decimals to whole numbers in Excel, you can use the ROUND function. For example, if your decimal is in cell A1, the formula would be =ROUND(A1,0) This formula rounds the number to zero decimal places, effectively converting it to a whole number.

Can I create exceptions for specific cells to insert decimals automatically?

Unfortunately, Excel’s Automatically insert a decimal point feature applies universally to the whole workbook and cannot be set for specific cells only. However, you can manually enter decimals for specific cells requiring this behavior.

Why is Excel changing my numbers to zero?

Excel may convert your numbers to zero when exceeding 15 characters, as it interprets only the first 15 significant digits, replacing any digits with 0 from the 16th character onward. Ensure your numbers adhere to this limitation for accurate representation in Excel.


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Shahriar Abrar Rafid
Shahriar Abrar Rafid

Shahriar Abrar Rafid, BSc, Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, Bangladesh, has worked with the ExcelDemy project for more than 1 year. He has written over 100+ articles for ExcelDemy. He is a professional visual content developer adept at crafting scripts, meticulously editing Excel files, and delivering insightful video tutorials for YouTube channels. His work and learning interests vary from Microsoft Office Suites and Excel to Data Analysis, VBA, and Video recording and... Read Full Bio

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