Number formats (currency, percentage, date) in Google Sheets - Step-by-Step Guide

Introduction

Number formats help you show numbers in ways that make sense, like money, percentages, or dates. This makes your data easier to read and understand at a glance.

When you want to show prices with a currency symbol like $ or €.

When you need to display a number as a percentage, such as 75%.

When you want to show dates in a clear format like MM/DD/YYYY or DD-MM-YYYY.

When you have a list of sales amounts and want them to look like money.

When you track progress and want to show it as a percent instead of a decimal.

Steps

Step 1: Select the cells with numbers you want to format

- Google Sheets grid

The selected cells are highlighted

💡 Click and drag to select multiple cells or use Ctrl/Cmd + click for non-adjacent cells

Step 2: Click the Format menu

- Top menu bar

The Format dropdown menu opens

Step 3: Hover over Number

- Format dropdown menu

A side menu with number format options appears

Step 4: Click Currency to format numbers as money

- Number submenu

Selected cells show numbers with a currency symbol and two decimals, like $12.00

Step 5: Click Percent to format numbers as percentages

- Number submenu

Selected cells show numbers multiplied by 100 with a % sign, like 75%

Step 6: Click Date to format numbers as dates

- Number submenu

Selected cells show numbers as dates in the default date format, like 6/15/2024

Step 7: To customize, click More Formats > More date and time formats

- Number submenu

A dialog opens where you can pick or create a custom date format

Before vs After

Before

Cells show plain numbers like 12, 0.75, 44500

After

Cells show formatted values like $12.00, 75%, 6/15/2024

Settings Reference

Currency

📍 Format > Number > Currency

Show numbers as money with currency symbols and two decimal places

Default: Based on your spreadsheet locale

Percent

📍 Format > Number > Percent

Show numbers as percentages with a % sign

Default: 0%

Date

📍 Format > Number > Date

Show numbers as dates in various common formats

Default: MM/DD/YYYY

Common Mistakes

Formatting a cell with text instead of numbers

Number formats only change how numbers look, not text values

Make sure the cell contains a number before applying number formats

Entering a date as text (e.g., 'June 15, 2024') and expecting date format to work

Text dates are not recognized as dates by Google Sheets

Enter dates using recognized date formats or use the DATE function

Expecting percentage format to convert 0.75 to 0.75%

Percent format multiplies the number by 100 and adds %, so 0.75 becomes 75%

Enter decimals like 0.75 to get 75% or enter 75 to get 7500%

Summary

Number formats change how numbers appear without changing the actual value.

Use currency format to show money, percent format to show percentages, and date format to show dates.

Make sure your data is the correct type (number or date) before applying formats.