How adding one comma can save you a few minutes per day? A few years ago, I discovered a simple but efficient tip in Excel. After that, I have been using it every day and saving time using Excel!
This tip is for you if:
- You have to report figures in thousands or in millions.
- You are dividing your numbers by 1,000 or 1,000,000 to show your numbers in thousands or in millions.
As a result, with this simple method, you can get rid of the formulas you are using right now for this purpose.
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Steps for Saving Time Using Excel
Here are the steps you need to follow for saving time using Excel:
- Select your cell with the number you want to show in thousands
- Right-click and select “Format Cells”
- The “Format cells” dialog opens
- Go to the “Number” view
- In the Category, select “Custom”
- Type or select the following format: #,##0
- If you want to show thousands, add a comma at the end of the syntax: #,##0,
- If you want to show millions, add two commas at the end of the syntax: #,##0,<
Bonus 1:
- If you want to show a k after the figures for thousands, use : #,##0,”k”
- If you want to show an m after the figures for thousands, use : #,##0,,”m”
Extra 2:
- If you want to show decimals, use the following format: #,##0.0, (for thousands).
Bonus 3:
Use this technique to convert your numbers format in your Pivot tables value to have automated reports.
- In the Pivot Table, select one of the cells with the value you want to format
- Right-click and select “Value Field Settings”
- Click Number Format at the bottom of the dialog box
- In the Format Cells dialog box, in the Category list, click the number format that you want to use
Note: Check with your regional character what is the thousands separator (if it’s a dot, then use a dot instead of a comma after the end of the syntax).
The Bottom Line – Use This Tip to Become More Efficient
Above all, if you’re like the majority of Excel users, you most likely aren’t using all of the program’s time-saving features to their maximum potential. However, that’s alright. While not everyone can be an Excel genius, virtually everyone can improve. Therefore, I hope this will help you optimize your reporting process to free time for better analysis!
Furthermore, what is your number one saving-time tip in Excel?
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