Microsoft Excel handles all cells containing just numbers as numbers by default rather than as text since the majority of data input into an Excel spreadsheet is numerical.
Follow one of the following instructions if you enter numbers that you wish to be processed just as text and not as numbers, dates, or another format.
Use apostrophe ‘ before a number
Apostrophe-delimited text ‘ is the sole type of text that may be entered into a spreadsheet cell.
For instance, typing ‘0123 into a cell displays the string 0123, with the zero, in the cell and is recognized as text-formatted.
Change the format of a cell quickly by entering data in this manner.
Change the cell’s formatting
The procedures below can be used to convert existing data, such as whole columns or rows, from a spreadsheet to text.
You may alter the format of the numbers by formatting the cell.
For instance, you may alter the format to make a percentage include more zeros.
- The cell, column, or row you wish to alter should be highlighted.
- Select the Format Cells option by performing right-clicking on the text that has been highlighted.
Click Text in the Format Cells window’s Number tab, then click Ok.