VALUE

Convert text that represents a number into a real number.

Text
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Excel All versions
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Google Sheets Supported

Spreadsheet editor

Syntax

=VALUE(text) Returns: Number

Arguments

Argument Required Description
text Yes The text you want to convert to a number, either in quotation marks or as a reference to a cell that holds the text. It can use any number, date, or time format Excel recognizes.

About

VALUE takes a text string that looks like a number and turns it into a real number you can calculate with. It reads plain numbers, currency, percentages, dates, and times, as long as the text uses a format Excel recognizes. If the text can't be read as a number, VALUE returns a #VALUE! error.

Use VALUE when numbers arrive as text, often after importing from a CSV, a database, or a web page. Those text numbers won't add up correctly until they're converted. In most cases Excel converts text to numbers on its own inside a formula, so VALUE exists mainly for compatibility with other spreadsheet programs and for times when you want the conversion to be clear and explicit.

For text with currency symbols or thousands separators that follow a specific region, NUMBERVALUE gives you more control. To go the other way and format a number as text, use TEXT. Pair VALUE with TRIM or SUBSTITUTE to strip out stray characters before converting.

Examples

Pull a number out of a product code

See how VALUE works with RIGHT to grab the last four digits of each SKU and turn them into real numbers. Edit a code and watch the stock number update.

Spreadsheet editor

Strip a unit label before converting

Watch column B return #VALUE! because the ' kg' label isn't a number. Compare it with the SUBSTITUTE version that removes the label first, then change a weight to test it.

Spreadsheet editor

Count days between two text dates

See how VALUE reads text dates as serial numbers so you can do date math. Subtract one from the other to count the days, then edit a date to watch the gap change.

Spreadsheet editor

Watch out for

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Text that isn't really a number

If the string contains letters or symbols Excel can't read as a number, VALUE returns a #VALUE! error.

→ Clean the text first. Use TRIM to drop extra spaces or SUBSTITUTE to remove stray characters before converting.

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Hidden spaces from imports

Imported data often carries leading, trailing, or non-breaking spaces that block the conversion.

→ Wrap the reference in TRIM, like =VALUE(TRIM(A2)). For stubborn non-breaking spaces (CHAR(160)), use CLEAN or SUBSTITUTE to remove them first.

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Using VALUE when you don't need it

Excel usually converts text numbers on its own inside math formulas, so VALUE can be redundant.

→ Skip it when a simple math step already coerces the text, like =A2*1 or =A2+0. Use VALUE when you want the conversion to be explicit.

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Locale-specific formats

VALUE follows your system's regional settings, so a date or decimal format from another region may fail.

→ For text with separators or currency symbols from another region, use NUMBERVALUE, which lets you set the decimal and group separators yourself.

Tips & notes

VALUE works on dates and times too, returning Excel's underlying serial number. Format the result cell as a date or time if you want it to read normally. Because Excel coerces text to numbers automatically in most calculations, VALUE is mainly kept for compatibility with other spreadsheet programs.

Common questions

What does VALUE return for a text date?

It returns the date's serial number, the number Excel uses to store dates. For example, =VALUE("2026-03-15") returns 46096. Format the cell as a date to see it as 15 March 2026.

How is VALUE different from NUMBERVALUE?

VALUE uses your computer's regional settings to read the text. NUMBERVALUE lets you set the decimal and group separators yourself, which helps with data from a different region or with currency symbols.

Why does VALUE give a #VALUE! error?

The text can't be read as a number, usually because it contains letters, unexpected symbols, or hidden spaces. Clean it with TRIM or SUBSTITUTE first, then convert.

Do I always need VALUE to convert text numbers?

No. Excel often converts text to numbers on its own inside calculations. Use VALUE when you want an explicit conversion or when an automatic one isn't happening.