The Excel "Convert" function (whose name is "Convert ()") allows you to convert a value expressed with a certain unit of measurement into another. In order to use the function in question, it is necessary to provide the value to convert and the units of measurement involved, then insert them in the following formula: "= Convert (num," from_measure "," to_measure "). Start by learning how to insert manually the formula using the "Convert" function within a worksheet or using the "Formula Builder" function, and then find out how to copy the formula to all the cells of the data range to be converted. abbreviations of the units of measure of the "Convert" function are case-sensitive, ie they take into account the difference between upper and lower case.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Manually Enter the Conversion Formula
Step 1. Enter the original unit of measurement as the header of column A
For this example article, assume that you want to convert the data entered into column A of the sheet and insert the result into column B (however, the formula works even if any other pair of columns are used). Click on cell "A1" to insert the header of column A and type the name of the original unit of measurement in which the values to be converted are expressed (for example inches, meters, yards). The unit of measure chosen will also be the one that will be inserted in the "Convert" function as the "from_measure" parameter (the original unit of measure).
- For example, click on cell "A1" and type the title "Inches". Suppose you want to convert 12 inches to meters. The value "12" represents the "num" parameter of the formula, the "inch" unit of measure represents the "from_units" parameter, while the "meters" represent the "a_units" parameter of the "Convert" function.
- The Excel "Convert" function will convert the entered value from the original unit of measurement to the target unit.
- Inserting column headers will help you organize your data better by making it more readable.
Step 2. Enter the header of column B
Click on cell "B1". The values calculated by the "Convert" function and referred to the target unit of measure will be entered in this column. Type the name of the unit of measure to which the original values will be converted. This is the "a_unit" parameter of the "Convert" function.
For example, click on cell "B1" and enter the title "Meters"
Step 3. Enter the values to convert starting from cell "A2"
Inside the other cells of column A, enter only the numeric values you want to convert, without adding the units of measurement.
For example, in cell "A2" type the value "12" (which, in this case, represents a value in inches)
Step 4. Type the code "= Convert (" into cell "B2"
In Excel, function names are not case-sensitive, i.e. they do not distinguish between uppercase and lowercase characters. For this reason, typing the code "= CONVERT (" is equivalent to entering the code "= convert ("
Step 5. Enter the address of the cell which contains the numeric value to convert
Within the "Convert" function, this parameter is called "num".
- For example, "= Convert (A2".
- If you need to convert a single measurement as in the previous example, you can also enter the numeric value to be processed directly into the formula (and not the address of the cell that contains it). For example, instead of using the formula "= Convert (A2", you can use the code "= Convert (12".
Step 6. Add a comma to separate the formula parameters
Continuing with the previous example, the formula code should now look like this: "= Convert (A2," or "= Convert (12,"
Step 7. Enter the "from_measure" parameter
Now you have to indicate the abbreviation of the unit of measurement in which the value you want to convert is currently expressed. The value of the "from_measure" parameter must be enclosed in quotation marks and followed by a comma.
- For example: "= Convert (A2," to "," or "= Convert (12," to ",".
- Below you will find some of the abbreviations you will need to use to indicate the units of measurement from which to start the conversion "in", "cm", "ft" and "m".
- On this page of the Microsoft Excel support website is published the complete list of all the measurement units supported by the "Convert" function and the corresponding abbreviations.
Step 8. Enter the target unit of measure, ie the "to_measure" parameter
Now you must indicate the abbreviation of the unit of measurement into which the indicated value must be converted. Also in this case the abbreviation of the destination unit of measure must be enclosed in quotation marks and followed by a closing round parenthesis.
- Continuing with the previous example, at this point the complete formula should be similar to the following: "= Convert (A2," into "," m ")" or "= Convert (12," into "," m ") ".
- The example formula converts the value in cell "A2" from inches to meters.
Step 9. Press the Enter key to save and run the formula
The converted value will be displayed in cell "B2", the one where the formula has been entered.
- Continuing with the previous example, the value "0, 3" will be displayed in cell B2.
- If the error code "# N / A" appears in the cell where you entered the formula, check that you have used the correct abbreviations to represent the units of measure. Make sure that the abbreviations of the units of measure are correct and belong to the same group (for example, it is not possible to convert a mass to a distance). Also remember that the abbreviations and prefixes of the units of measurement I'm case-sensitive (so there is a difference between uppercase and lowercase characters).
- If the error code "#VALUE!" Appears inside the cell where you entered the formula, it means that the value of the "num" parameter (the number to convert) is incorrect. Make sure you have entered a single numeric value or a single cell address.
Method 2 of 3: Create the Conversion Formula Using the Formula Builder
Step 1. Enter the original unit of measurement as the header of column A
For this example article, assume that you want to convert the data entered into column A of the sheet and insert the result into column B (however the formula works even if any other pair of columns are used). Click on cell "A1" to insert the header of column A and type the name of the original unit of measurement in which the values to be converted are expressed (for example seconds, hours or days). The unit of measurement chosen will also be the one that will be entered in the "Convert" function as the "from_measure" parameter (the original unit of measurement).
- For example, type the title "Minutes" into cell "A1". Suppose you want to convert 21 minutes to seconds. The value "21" represents the "num" parameter of the formula, the "minutes" unit of measure represents the "from_units" parameter, while the "seconds" represent the "a_units" parameter of the "Convert" function.
- The Excel "Convert" function will convert the entered value from the original unit of measurement to the target unit.
- Inserting column headers will help you organize your data better, making it more readable.
Step 2. Enter the header of column B
Click on cell "B1". The values calculated by the "Convert" function and referred to the target unit of measure will be entered in this column. Type the name of the unit of measure to which the original values will be converted. This is the "a_unit" parameter of the "Convert" function. Enter the name of the target unit of measure (for example seconds or days).
For example click on cell "B1" and enter the title "Seconds"
Step 3. Enter the values to convert starting from cell "A2"
Inside the other cells of column A, enter only the numeric values you want to convert without adding the units of measure.
For example, in cell "A2" type the value "21" (which in this case represents the number of minutes to convert into seconds)
Step 4. Open the "Formula Builder" window
In this case, instead of manually inserting the formula code using the "Convert" function, you will use the Excel "Formula Builder" which will guide you in creating the text string to insert in the sheet cell. Proceed as follows:
- Select the "Formulas" tab of the Excel ribbon;
- Click on the "Formula Builder" button;
- Select cell "B2";
- Select the "Convert" formula.
Step 5. Enter the cell name (consisting of the corresponding column letter and row numbers) that contains the value to be converted
Type it in the "Num" text field. This is the "num" parameter of the "Convert" function.
- Continuing with the previous example, enter the value "A2".
- If you need to perform a single conversion like in the example of this article, you can directly enter the numeric value to convert (in this case "21") instead of the cell name.
Step 6. Enter the initials of the original unit of measurement in the "From_unit" text field
Type the Excel abbreviation corresponding to the original unit of measurement.
- For example, enter "mn" or "min" to indicate minutes.
- On this page of the Microsoft Excel support website is published the complete list of all the measurement units supported by the "Convert" function and the corresponding abbreviations.
Step 7. Enter the "A_unit" parameter
Type the Excel abbreviation of the target unit of measure into the "A_unit" text field.
Continuing with the previous example, type the abbreviation "sec" or "s" to indicate the seconds
Step 8. Press the Enter key to save and run the formula
The converted value will be displayed in cell "B2", the one where the formula has been entered.
- In this case, inside cell "B2" you will see the value "1.260" (ie 1.260 seconds) appear.
- If the error code "# N / A" appears in the cell where you entered the formula, check that you have used the correct abbreviations to represent the units of measure. Make sure that the abbreviations of the units of measure are correct and belong to the same group (for example it is not possible to convert a time into a distance). Also remember that the abbreviations and prefixes of the units of measurement I'm case-sensitive, so there is a difference between uppercase and lowercase.
- If the error code "#VALUE!" Appears inside the cell where you entered the formula, it means that the value of the "num" parameter (the number to convert) is incorrect. Make sure you have entered a single numeric value or a single cell address.
Method 3 of 3: Apply the Multi-Cell Conversion Formula
Step 1. Select cell "B2" (the one where you entered the original formula using the "Convert" function)
For example, assume that you have entered additional values in cells "A3" and "A4" in addition to the original value stored in cell "A2". At this point, you have already performed the conversion of the value present in cell "A2" thanks to the formula present in cell "B2". Now, you can quickly and easily convert the values in cells "A3" and "A4" (or all those you entered in column A) simply by copying the conversion formula into the other cells of column B.
- For example, assume that you entered the value "1" in cell "A2", the value "5" in cell "A3" and the value "10" in cell "A4" and that the formula you typed in cell "B2 "is the following:" = Convert (A2, "into", "cm") ".
- When you need to convert multiple values, you must enter the name of the cell containing the number to be converted as the "num" parameter in the conversion formula.
Step 2. Click on the small gray square in the lower right corner of the cell without releasing the mouse button
When a cell is selected, the borders are shown in bold and a small square is visible in the lower right corner.
Step 3. Drag the mouse cursor down along column B to select the other cells
You will need to select only the cells in column B that correspond to those in column A that contain the values to be converted.
- Referring to the previous example, you will only need to select cells "B3" and "B4", as the remaining values to be converted are stored in cells "A3" and "A4".
- Alternatively, you can apply the conversion formula to multiple cells using Excel's "Fill" feature. After selecting cell "B2", hold down the ⇧ Shift key while selecting the other cells in column B. In this case, you need to select all the cells in column B that correspond to those in column A which contain the values to be convert. Click on the "Home" tab of the Excel ribbon. Select the "Fill" item and choose the "Bottom" option. The converted values will appear within the selected cells of column B.
Step 4. After selecting all the cells you need, release the left mouse button
The conversion formula you entered in cell "B2" will also be automatically applied to the other cells in column B with all references to the data in the sheet updated. The converted values of the measurements entered in column A will be displayed within column B.
- Continuing with the previous example, in cell "B2" you will see the value "2, 54", in cell "B3" the value "12, 7" and in cell "B4" the value "25, 4".
- If the error code "# N / A" appears in one of the cells where you entered the formula, check that you have used the correct abbreviations to represent the units of measure. Make sure that the abbreviations of the units of measure are correct and belong to the same group (for example, it is not possible to convert a weight into a distance). Also remember that the abbreviations and prefixes of the units of measurement I'm case-sensitive, so there is a difference between uppercase and lowercase.
- If the error code "#VALUE!" Appears in one of the cells where you entered the formula, it means that the value of the "num" parameter (the number to convert) is incorrect. Make sure you have entered a single numeric value or a single cell address.
