Excel not recognizing numbers in cells?

Anonymous
2011-06-10T00:45:53+00:00

I copied some numbers on a web page and pasted them onto an excel spreadhseet.  When I use the sum formula, or average formula, excel is not recognizing the numbers in the cell, and won't  add up my rows.  I've tried reforamtiing the field as a number, but it's not working.  If I re-type the numbers in the field, then Excel recognizes them.  This is frustrating!!  Help!!

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Anonymous
2011-06-10T02:05:15+00:00

Follow up comment to my last message...

I note you say you copied your numbers from a web page; that means it is possible that your spaces are not ASCII 32 spaces, but rather are ASCII 160 non-breaking spaces. If my previous suggestions doesn't work for all your numbers, go back to the Replace dialog bog and remove the space character that is in the "Find what" field and enter this keystroke combination into that field in its place... ALT+0160 but you MUST type those four digits from the NUMBER PAD, not the main keyboard.... then click the "Replace All" button.

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Anonymous
2011-06-10T01:11:04+00:00

Check out whether there are spaces before or ater the cellss..If so try replacing the spaces.

Another way to easily convert these cells to numeric format if you have enabled error checking for these cells. Check whether the cells are in text format. (Right click>FormatCells). To convert the cells to numerics do the below.

In 2003 Tools>Options>Error checking>'Number stored as text'

In 2007 OfficeButton>ExcelOptions>Formulas>Error checking>

--If you have this option checked; then error checking is enabled for such cells.

--For cells with numeric value but formatted as text; on the left top corner of the cell you will see a green triangle.

--Select the range of cells and make sure one of the cells with the green triangle is the active cell (cell with white background).

--Click/dropdown on the error information popup which is displayed towards the left of the active cell

--Select 'Convert to number'

Yet another work around is

--Copy a blank cell

--Keeping the copy select the range of cells with numeric values

--Right click>PasteSpecial>

--Select 'Add' and click OK.

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  1. Ashish Mathur 102.3K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2011-06-11T00:08:25+00:00

    Hi,

    Try this

    1. Click on any one cell with a number
    2. Select any one space looking character from the right
    3. Copy that character (Ctrl+C)
    4. Press Ctrl+H (Find and Replace)
    5. In the Find box, delete what is there in the find box and press Ctrl+V
    6. Leave the Replace box blank
    7. Click on Replace All

    Hope this helps.

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  2. Ashish Mathur 102.3K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2011-06-11T00:10:39+00:00

    Hi,

    Try this

    1. Enter 100 in any cell
    2. Copy that cell
    3. Select the range of numbers and go to Edit > Paste Special > Divide

    Hope this helps.

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  3. Anonymous
    2016-11-29T21:43:07+00:00

    I copied some numbers on a web page and pasted them onto an excel spreadhseet.  When I use the sum formula, or average formula, excel is not recognizing the numbers in the cell, and won't  add up my rows.  I've tried reforamtiing the field as a number, but it's not working.  If I re-type the numbers in the field, then Excel recognizes them.  This is frustrating!!  Help!!

    I just found a very easy way to do this. I hope it will help :)

    1. make sure you have an empty column next to your problematic :) numbers
    2. manually type the first two numbers to the cell 1 and 2 of the new column
    3. go to the third cell of the new column and click on "Flash Fill" button from "Data" tab "Data tools" group.

    Excel will fill out the rest of the empty cells (obviously with no space)

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