In Excel, we frequently calculate and enter growth rates, efficiency rates, success rates, discount rates, tax rates, interest rates, etc.
In general, we have to give those as percentages. Then, users will find it easier to interpret your reports.
In this article, I will show you some easy methods that we can use to convert numbers to percentages in Excel.
Method #1: Shortcut to Convert Number to Percentage
When you calculate a percentage in Excel, the outcome is first shown in Excel as a number.
Then, you have to convert that estimated number into a percentage.
Using the Excel shortcut is the simplest way to change a number to a percentage.
Below I have a data set where column A shows the product, Column B shows the price, and Column C shows the discount. In Column D, I have calculated the discount rate.
Now, I want to convert the numbers that I have calculated in column D to percentages.
I can do that by following the below steps.
- Select all the cells with numbers that you want to convert to percentages. In this case, I want to convert numbers that are contained in Cell D2 to D4 as percentages. So, I have to select cells D2 to D4.
- Then, I have to use any one of the below Excel shortcuts.
Shortcut 1
Control + Shift + %
I need to press all three keys at the same time. So I start by holding down the Control and Shift keys. Then, while still holding down those two keys, I have to press the percentage % key. The % key is in the number 5 key.
Shortcut 2
ALT + H + P
You can use this second shortcut if you are not good at pressing many keys together in a shortcut. In this second shortcut, you have to press each key one after the other. So, first press the ALT key. Then, after releasing the ALT key, press the H key. Release the H key, then press the P key.
Both of the above shortcuts help you to convert numbers to percentages very quickly.
In this case, after I apply an Excel percentage shortcut, I can convert all the numbers in Column D to percentages as follows.
Note: With this method, you can get the percentage format with no decimal places. For example, if you apply the above shortcut keys for 0.376, Excel will show 38% instead of 37.6%.
Also read: How to Add a Percentage to a Number in Excel?
Method #2: Using the Percentage Icon to Convert Numbers to Percentage
Excel is a program that is extremely simple to use. If you want to convert a number to a %, just click the percentage button.
Below I have a data set where column A shows the product, Column B shows the price, and Column C shows the discount. In Column D, I have calculated the discount rate.
Now, I want to convert the numbers that I have calculated in column D to percentages.
I can do that by following the below steps.
- Select all the cells with numbers that you want to convert to percentages. In this case, I want to convert numbers that are contained in Cell D2 to D4 as percentages. So, I have to select cells D2 to D4.
- Go to the “Home” tab.
- Go to the “Number” group and click the “Percent Style” % icon.
As soon as you click the % icon, all the numbers will be converted to percentages as follows.
You can see that the percentage format has no decimal places.
For example, if you apply the above shortcut keys for 0.376, Excel will show 38% instead of 37.6%.
If you want to show decimal places, click on the Increase Decimal icon.
Also read: How to Subtract Percentage in Excel (Decrease Value by Percentage)?
Method #3: Using the Percentage Number Format to Convert Number to Percentage
When you want to convert a number to a percentage, you can also use Excel’s inbuilt number format – percentages.
Below is a data set where column A shows the product, Column B shows the price, and Column C shows the discount. In Column D, I have calculated the discount rate.
Now, I want to convert the numbers that I have calculated in column D to percentages.
I can do so by following the steps given below.
- Select all the cells with numbers that you want to convert to percentages. In this case, I want to convert numbers that are contained in Cell D2 to D4 as percentages. So, I have to select cells D2 to D4.
- Press “Control + 1” to open the “Format Cells” dialog box.
- Go to the “Number” tab and select “Percentage” as the category.
You can change the number of decimal places by pressing the up arrow and down arrow keys.
- Finally, click the “OK” button of the “Format Cells” dialog box.
Then, Excel converts all the selected numbers to percentages.
In this case, as I have set the number of decimal places to two, each percentage is shown to be two decimal places.
Also read: Calculate Percentage Difference in Excel (Formulas)
Method #4: Using Custom Number Format to Convert Number to Percentage
In the percentage number format method, we can’t customize the percentage format to our requirements.
For example, if I want to apply 0% as a dash “-”, I can’t do that with the “Percentage Number Format”.
In such situations, I have to convert numbers to percentages using the custom number format option.
Below is a data set where column A shows the product, Column B shows the price, and Column C shows the discount. In Column D, I have calculated the discount rate.
Now, I want to convert the numbers that I have calculated in column D to percentages. If there is a 0%, I want to show that percentage as a dash (-).
I can do that by following the below steps.
- Select all the cells with numbers that you want to convert to percentages. In this case, I want to convert numbers that are contained in Cell D2 to D4 as percentages. So, I have to select cells D2 to D4.
- Press “Control + 1” to open the “Format Cells” dialog box.
- Go to the “Number” tab and select “Custom” as the category.
- Go to the “Type” box and first type “#%”. Then Excel converts the selected numbers to percentages.
- Next, customize the format code as per you want. If you want to add two decimal places, just enter a dot and two zeros just after the hash (#) sign. In this case, I like to add one decimal place. So, I added a dot and a zero just after the hash sign. Next, I want to show zero percentages as dashes (-). So, I used two semicolon signs after the percentage sign to apply the formatting for zeros and entered a dash. Now, my updated format code is as follows.
#.0%;;-
- Finally, click the OK button.
Now, all the selected numbers are converted to percentages as per my customized number format. You can see that the discount percentage of product B (Cell D3) is shown as a dash as product B has a 0% discount rate.
Also read: How to Calculate Ratio in Excel?
Method #5: Using the TEXT function to Convert Numbers to Percentage
Sometimes, you may like to get the result of a formula in a percentage format.
Below I have a data set where column A shows the product, Column B shows the price, and Column C shows the discount. In Column D, I have calculated the discount rate.
I want to get the results of the column D formula as a percentage.
I can use the Excel TEXT function to convert a resultant number of the formula to a percentage.
So, I have replaced the current formula with the one below.
=TEXT(C2/B2,"#%")
The syntax of the TEXT function is TEXT(value, format_text).
You can enter the number that you want to convert to a percentage in the first argument of the TEXT function. In this case, I want to convert the result of C2/B2.
So, I enter that formula as the value argument of the function. For the second argument of the TEXT function, I have to enter the format code within quotes.
As I want to show the number as a percentage, I have entered #% within quotes.
Even though it seems like a very handy method, this method has a major drawback.
That is, after you apply the TEXT function, the percentage is stored as text. So, you can’t do any further calculations with that percentage.
You now know five different methods to change numbers in Excel into percentages. You are free to choose whichever method suits you best.
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