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NUMBERVALUE Function

Excel 2013+

Summary

The Excel NUMBERVALUE function converts text strings representing numbers into actual numeric values, regardless of regional formatting differences. It handles custom decimal and thousands separators, making it perfect for processing imported data from various locales.

Syntax

NUMBERVALUE(Text, [Decimal_separator], [Group_separator])

Parameters

Parameter Type Required Description
Text Text Yes Text string to convert to a number
Decimal_separator Text No Single character for decimal point separation
Group_separator Text No Single character for thousands grouping

Using the NUMBERVALUE Function

NUMBERVALUE excels at converting text numbers from CSV imports, web scrapes, or international data sources where decimal (.) and thousands (,) separators vary by region. Specify custom separators to ensure accurate conversion regardless of your system's regional settings.

Common NUMBERVALUE Examples

European Number Format

=NUMBERVALUE("2.500,27",",",".")

Converts '2.500,27' (European format) to 2500.27 using comma as decimal and period as thousands separator

Percentage Conversion

=NUMBERVALUE("3.5%")

Converts '3.5%' to 0.035 (3.5%) using default locale separators

Clean Text Numbers

=NUMBERVALUE("  1,234,567  ")

Converts ' 1,234,567 ' to 1234567, ignoring all spaces

Frequently Asked Questions

NUMBERVALUE uses your system's current regional settings automatically.

Yes, '9%%' converts to 0.0009 (9/10000), just like in formulas.

Any single character. Only the first character is used if multiple are provided.

Common Errors and Solutions

#VALUE! error

Cause: Decimal separator appears multiple times in text

Solution: Ensure text has only one decimal separator

#VALUE! error

Cause: Group separator after decimal point

Solution: Group separators must appear before decimal separator

#VALUE! error

Cause: Invalid separator characters

Solution: Use valid single characters for separators

Notes

  • Empty text ('') returns 0
  • Spaces anywhere in text are ignored
  • Only first character of separator arguments is used
  • Percent signs at end are calculated (multiplicative)
  • Excel 2013+ only

Compatibility

Available in: Excel 2013, Excel 2016, Excel 2019, Excel 2021, Microsoft 365

Not available in: Excel 2010, Excel 2007, Excel 2003

Content last reviewed: December 9, 2025
Update frequency: As needed
Excel versions tested: Excel 2013+