How to convert letter to number or vice versa in Excel?
In Excel, you may sometimes need to translate between letters of the alphabet and their corresponding numerical order, for example, converting A to1, B to2, C to3, and so on. This type of conversion is useful for tasks such as sorting, data analysis, or generating custom codes. There are also situations where the reverse process is needed—translating numbers back to their associated alphabet letters. While Excel does not provide a direct "letter-number converter," there are several flexible solutions, including formulas, tools, VBA, and built-in features that can address these requirements according to your scenario. This guide provides step-by-step tutorials for each approach, discusses their applicable scenarios, and offers troubleshooting tips to efficiently manage letter-number conversions in Excel.
➤ Convert number to letter with formula
➤ Convert number to currency text with an amazing tool
Convert letter to number with formula
To convert single letters (A-Z, case-insensitive) to their corresponding numbers (A=1, ..., Z=26), you can use a formula approach. This is especially helpful when working with column headings or any scenario where each letter represents a simple numeric position. For reference, this method works best for single English letters and may not provide expected results for double-letter codes (such as "AA", "AB", etc.). To address extended ranges, refer to the VBA solution later in this article.
1. In a blank cell next to your data (for example, in cell D2), type the following formula and press the Enter key:
=COLUMN(INDIRECT(B3&1))This formula combines the letter in B3 with a row number (e.g., "A"&1 becomes "A1"), then INDIRECT returns the range reference, and COLUMN extracts the column number. The result is the numeric position of the letter. Note: If B3 is empty or contains text outside the range A-Z, an error may occur.
2. Use the fill handle to drag the formula down the column, applying it to the remaining entries. All single letters will convert to their corresponding number between1 and26, as shown below:
Tips: Ensure your source data contains only single letters (A-Z, not case sensitive). Double-letter inputs (such as "AA") will not be processed as expected with this method. For more robust or extended conversion, check the VBA section in this article. If you encounter #REF! or #VALUE! errors, confirm that your source text is a valid letter and that the cell reference is correct.
Easily convert multiple numbers to currency words in bulk in Excel
Converting numbers such as $357.6 into currency text like "three hundred fifty-seven dollars and sixty cents" can be useful in financial documents, invoices, and checks. If you have a large batch of numbers to convert, doing this manually is time-consuming. With the Numbers to Currency Words feature in Kutools for Excel, you can process large quantities of numeric data to currency words in one action, saving significant time and reducing errors.
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Convert number to letter with formula
To convert numbers within the range of1 to26 to their equivalent uppercase letters (1=A,2=B, ...,26=Z), you can use a formula solution. This is especially helpful for mapping index numbers to column labels or referencing alphabet-coded categories.
1. In a blank cell next to your data (for example, D3), enter the following formula, then press Enter:
=MID("ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ",B3,1)This formula extracts the nth letter from the English alphabet string, where B3 contains your number.
2. Drag the fill handle down to fill the formula for other rows as needed. All numbers from1 to26 will convert to their corresponding letters, as shown here:
Tip:
(1) Numbers above26 will return empty text, as the formula only covers26 English letters.
(2) Numbers below1 result in a #VALUE! error.
(3) Decimal numbers are automatically rounded down to the nearest integer.
(4) To extend conversions beyond "Z" (e.g.,27="AA"), refer to the VBA section later in this article.
If you get errors or unexpected blanks, check that the referenced cell contains a positive integer from1 to26.
Convert number to currency text with an amazing tool
When you have Kutools for Excel installed, the Numbers to Currency Words feature enables you to instantly convert any selected numeric values into proper currency words across your entire worksheet. This functionality is particularly valuable for financial reporting, check preparation, and billing processes, as it eliminates manual text conversion errors and ensures consistency in results.
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1. Select the numbers you want to convert to currency text, and click Kutools > Content > Numbers to Words.
2. In the Numbers to Currency Words dialog box, choose English or Chinese as the target language, then click OK.
All selected numbers will be converted to the corresponding currency words in one batch, as illustrated below:
Note: The accuracy and efficiency of this tool make it suitable for processing both small datasets and hundreds of rows of currency figures, ensuring reliability in financial documentation.
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