Excel Number Formats

General

A new worksheet opens in general format. General format aligns numbers to the right side of the cell and text to the left.

Custom

Allows you to modify a copy of an existing number format code. Use this format to create a custom number format that is added to the list of number format codes. You can add between 200 and 250 custom number formats, depending on the language version of Excel that is installed on your computer.

Accounting

Also used for monetary values, but it aligns the currency symbols and decimal points of numbers in a column.

Fraction

Displays a number as a fraction, according to the type of fraction that you specify.

Special

Displays a number as a postal code (ZIP Code), phone number, or Social Security number.

Scientific

Displays a number in exponential notation, replacing part of the number with E+n, where E (which stands for Exponent) multiplies the preceding number by 10 to the nth power. For example, a 2-decimal Scientific format displays 12345678901 as 1.23E+10, which is 1.23 times 10 to the 10th power. You can specify the number of decimal places that you want to use.

Date

Displays date and time serial numbers as date values, according to the type and locale (location) that you specify. Date formats that begin with an asterisk (*) respond to changes in regional date and time settings that are specified in Control Panel. Formats without an asterisk are not affected by Control Panel settings.

Time

Displays date and time serial numbers as time values, according to the type and locale (location) that you specify. Time formats that begin with an asterisk (*) respond to changes in regional date and time settings that are specified in Control Panel. Formats without an asterisk are not affected by Control Panel settings.

Number

Excel offers many options for adjusting the way numbers appear on the screen by changing their formatting. Some examples include: General-1234.4321 Currency-$1,234.43 Accounting - $1234.43

Percentage

Multiplies the cell value by 100 and displays the result with a percent (%) symbol. You can specify the number of decimal places that you want to use.

Text

Treats the content of a cell as text and displays the content exactly as you type it, even when you type numbers.

Currency

The currency format places dollar signs and comma separators in numeric entries. Negative currency values are displayed in parentheses.