How to Remove Decimals in Excel

Microsoft Excel is one of the most commonly used software for data analysis, calculations, and presentation. Excel has numerous features that enable users to organize, analyze and present data effectively. One common challenge that users of Excel encounter is dealing with decimal points. When dealing with large data sets, decimal points can be distracting and affect the accuracy of the analysis. Hence, there is a need to remove decimal points to make the data more manageable. In this post, we will explore how to remove decimals in Excel with a few simple steps.

Step-by-Step Guide to Remove Decimals in Excel

Here are the simple steps to remove decimals in Excel:

Step 1: Select the cell or range of cells

Begin by selecting the cell(s) containing the data you want to format. You can select a single cell or a range of cells by clicking and dragging the cursor over them.

Step 2: Navigate to the Home tab

Once you have selected the cells, go to the Home tab on the Excel ribbon and click on the “Number Format” dropdown arrow in the “Number” group.

Step 3: Choose the number format

From the dropdown menu, select the appropriate number format to remove the decimals. For example, if you want to remove the decimals from a currency value, you can select “Currency” and then select “0” as the number of decimal places.

Step 4: Verify the results

After selecting the appropriate number format, verify that the decimals have been removed from your data. Your data should now display without decimals, making it easier to read and analyze.

Using the “Find and Replace” Function to Remove Decimals in Excel

Another method to remove decimals in Excel is by using the “Find and Replace” function. This method is especially useful when you have a large data set with many rows and columns:

Step 1: Open the “Find and Replace” dialog box

Press “Ctrl + H” on your keyboard to open the “Find and Replace” dialog box. Alternatively, you can navigate to the “Home” tab, click on the “Find & Select” dropdown arrow, and select “Replace”.

Step 2: Input the decimals to replace

Type in the decimal you want to replace in the “Find what” field. For example, if you want to replace all “.5” decimals, type “.5” (without the quotes) in the field.

Step 3: Input the replacement value

Leave the “Replace with” value field empty. This will remove the decimal point.

Step 4: Replace all occurrences of the decimal point

Click on the “Replace All” button to remove all selected decimal points in your data. You can verify the changes by clicking on “Find Next” to locate cells with decimal points.

Removing decimals in Excel is a straightforward process using either of the two methods above. Now you can format your data without worrying about decimals and focus on analyzing and presenting meaningful insights.

Using Formulas to Remove Decimals in Excel

You can also use formulas to remove decimals in Excel. If you want to keep the original data and create a duplicate with the decimals removed, you can use the “ROUND” function. Here’s how:

Step 1: Create a new column

Insert a new column adjacent to the column containing the data you want to format. This will prevent you from losing the original data.

Step 2: Insert the ROUND function

In the first cell of the new column, insert the formula “=ROUND(cell with data, 0)” (without the quotes). Replace “cell with data” with the cell reference of the corresponding cell in the original column. For example, if your original data is in cell A2, the formula would be “=ROUND(A2, 0)”.

Step 3: Apply the formula to the rest of the column

Copy and paste the formula to the rest of the cells in the new column. The formulas should automatically update with the corresponding cell reference. This will create a new column with the decimals removed.

Preventing Decimals in Excel

If you want to prevent decimals from appearing in Excel in the first place, you can use the “Decrease Decimal” button. Here’s how:

Step 1: Select the cell or range of cells

Begin by selecting the cell(s) you want to format. You can select a single cell or a range of cells by clicking and dragging the cursor over them.

Step 2: Navigate to the Home tab

Once you have selected the cells, go to the “Home” tab on the Excel ribbon and click on the “Decrease Decimal” button in the “Number” group. Each click of the button will remove another decimal place.

Hopefully, this guide has helped you to easily remove decimals from your Excel data. Remember, there are multiple methods to remove decimals in Excel, so choose the one that works best for you and your data set.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some common FAQs related to removing decimals in Excel:

Can I remove decimal points from negative numbers?

Yes, you can remove decimal points from negative numbers using the methods described in this post. Simply select the cells containing the negative numbers and apply the appropriate number format or formula.

What do I do if I accidentally remove decimals from a cell I didn’t mean to?

If you accidentally remove decimals from a cell you didn’t mean to, simply undo your last action by pressing “Ctrl + Z” on your keyboard. You can also use the “Redo” button in the Quick Access Toolbar to restore your previous action.

Can I remove decimals from multiple columns at a time?

Yes, you can remove decimals from multiple columns at a time by selecting the range of cells containing the data and applying the appropriate number format or formula to all of the selected cells.

What if I need to keep some decimal points but remove others?

If you need to keep some decimal points but remove others, you can use the “Custom” format under the “Number Format” dropdown menu. This will allow you to specify the number of decimal places you want to keep or remove.

How do I format numbers with thousands separators?

To format numbers with thousands separators in Excel, simply select the cells containing the numbers and apply the “Comma Style” format under the “Number Format” dropdown menu. This will add commas to the numbers for every three digits to help make large numbers easier to read.