How to Format Numbers as Text in Excel with TEXT

Use TEXT to show currency, percentages and +/– changes exactly how you want inside KPI labels and dashboard sentences.

You will learn to

• Format a number as currency text
• Show a ratio as a percentage
• Use a two-part format for +/– changes

How it works

=TEXT(value, format_text) turns a number into text that looks exactly the way the format code says. =TEXT(1248350,"$#,##0") returns "$1,248,350" and =TEXT(0.0412,"0.0%") returns "4.1%". The format codes are the same ones you use in Format Cells › Custom.

Format codes can have sections separated by semicolons: positive;negative. "+0.0%;-0.0%" shows a plus sign on growth and a minus sign on decline, ideal for "up/down vs last month" labels. Because TEXT returns text, use it for display — keep the original numbers for any further math.

=TEXT(B2,"$#,##0")