How to Change the Decimal Separator in Excel

Why Change the Decimal Separator?

Different regions around the world use different characters as decimal and thousands separators. For example, in the United States, a period (.) is commonly used as a decimal separator, while a comma (,) is used to separate thousands. In many European countries, the opposite is true—a comma is used as a decimal separator, and a period separates thousands. Adjusting these settings in Excel can help you:

• Match regional formatting standards.
• Ensure data accuracy in international reports.
• Improve readability and consistency in your spreadsheets.

Microsoft Excel 2013 and 2010 by default uses the system defined decimal separator. In Windows 8 and Windows 7 this option is defined under the Regional and Language Settings available under Control Panel. You can follow below steps to change the decimal separator in Excel.

Step 1: Right click on the bottom end corner of Window 8 system and select Control Panel from the menu list (In Windows 7, navigate to Control Panel).

Step 2: In Adjust your computer’s settings screen, click Clock, Language and Region option.

Step 3: In Clock, Language and Region screen, click Change date, time or number formats under Region section.

Step 4: Click the Additional settings button in the Region window.

Step 5: In Customise Format window, enter the new separator for Decimal Symbol. Then click Apply and Ok button to save the changes.

Are you looking to change the decimal separator in Excel but not sure how to do it? Whether you’re working with international data or simply prefer a different format, Excel offers flexible options to customize the decimal and thousands separators to fit your needs. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the steps to change the decimal separator in Excel, ensuring you can work efficiently and accurately with your data.

Step-by-Step Guide to Changing the Decimal Separator in Excel

Step 1: Access Excel Options

1. Open Excel and click on the File tab to open the Backstage view.
2. Select Options from the menu. This will open the Excel Options dialog box.

Step 2: Navigate to Advanced Settings

1. In the Excel Options dialog box, select Advanced from the left-hand sidebar.
2. Scroll down to the Editing options section.

Step 3: Modify the Decimal and Thousands Separators

1. Look for the option labeled “Use system separators.” By default, this box is checked, which means Excel uses the decimal and thousands separators set in your operating system’s regional settings.
2. Uncheck the “Use system separators” box. This will enable the fields to customize your separators.
3. Enter your desired decimal separator in the Decimal separator field. For example, enter a comma (,) if you want to use a comma as the decimal separator.
4. Enter your desired thousands separator in the Thousands separator field. For example, enter a period (.) if you want to use a period to separate thousands.

Step 4: Apply and Save Changes

1. Click OK to save your changes and close the Excel Options dialog box.
2. Your settings will now be applied to all Excel workbooks and worksheets.

Example: Changing the Decimal Separator from a Period to a Comma

Let’s say you’re working with a dataset where numbers are formatted with a period as the decimal separator, but you need them to use a comma instead. Follow these steps:

1. Open Excel and navigate to the File tab.
2. Select Options, then choose Advanced.
3. Uncheck “Use system separators”.
4. Change the Decimal separator from a period (.) to a comma (,).
5. Click OK to apply the changes.

Now, all decimal numbers in your Excel files will use a comma as the separator. For example, the number “1234.56” will be displayed as “1234,56”.

Step 1: Click File menu and select Options from the menu list.

Step 2: In the Options screen, click the Advanced tab and navigate to Editing section.

Step 3: Under Editing section, un mark the check box with caption as “User system separators”.

Step 4: Now enter your new decimal separator under Decimal separator field. For this demo we are colon (:) as the decimal separator.

Step 5: Click OK to confirm and save the changes.

Additional Tips for Working with Decimal Separators

• Formatting Existing Data: If you already have data entered in Excel, you might need to reformat it after changing the separators. Use the Find and Replace feature (Ctrl+H) to quickly replace periods with commas, or vice versa.
• Data Import: When importing data from external sources, ensure the decimal and thousands separators match your Excel settings to avoid data errors.
• Consistency: Consistently use the same separators across all your workbooks to maintain data integrity and avoid confusion.

Conclusion

Changing the decimal separator in Excel is a simple yet powerful way to customize your data presentation and ensure accuracy in international contexts. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can easily switch between different formats to suit your needs. Whether you’re preparing financial reports, analyzing data, or creating complex models, Excel’s flexibility with decimal and thousands separators will help you achieve your goals more effectively.

Also See: How to change decimal separator on Mac OS X Lion