Convert a number to words in Excel using this amazing function. For example, 123,456 to One hundred twenty-three thousand four hundred fifty-six. You can use this elegant Excel formula to convert number to words.
Excel Number to Words Formula
Below I have provided number to words Excel formula. It assumes you have input number in cell A1.
Note: This function can convert numbers up to 999,999 into words.
The function:
=LAMBDA(number,
LET(
th, INT(number / 1000),
th_h, MOD(th / 100, 10),
th_t, MOD(th, 100),
th_tens1, INT(th.t / 10),
th_tens2, MOD(th.t, 10),
h, MOD(D2 / 100, 10),
t, MOD(D2, 100),
tens1, INT(t / 10),
tens2, MOD(t, 10),
tens, {"twenty", "thirty", "fourty", "fifty", "sixty", "seventy", "eighty", "ninety"},
upto19, {"one", "two", "three", "four","five", "six", "seven", "eight", "nine", "ten"," eleven", "twelve","thirteen", "fourteen", "fifteen","sixteen", "seventeen", "eighteen","nineteen"},
CONCAT(
IF(
th < 1,
"",
IF(th_h >= 1, INDEX(upto19, th_h) & " hundred ", "") &
IF(
th_t < 1,
"",
IF(
th_tens1 < 2,
INDEX(upto19, th_t),
INDEX(tens, th_tens1 - 1) &
IF(th_tens2 >= 1, "-" & INDEX(upto19, th_tens2), "")
)
) & " thousand "
),
IF(h >= 1, INDEX(upto19, h) & " hundred ", ""),
IF(
t < 1,
"",
IF(
tens1 < 2,
INDEX(upto19, t),
INDEX(tens, tens1 - 1) & IF(tens2 >= 1, "-" & INDEX(upto19, tens2), "")
)
)
)
)
)
How this formula works?
Formula & UDF to get Words from Number
Click here to download the sample file for this page. You can see number to words formula in column C. Play with the values or examine the formula to learn more.
In order to understand the number to words formula, you must first understand the newly introduced LAMBDA() & LET() functions.
LAMBDA Excel Function:
We can use LAMBDA() function to create custom functions in Excel easily. For example, we can take the logic of converting number to words and wrap it a LAMBDA with below syntax and call it number2words() as a custom function.
LAMBDA Syntax:
=LAMBDA(value, logic_to_convert_the_value_to_result)
Learn more about LAMBDA function in Excel here.
LET Excel Function:
LET function let’s us define variables to use with in the context of a formula. You can use LET function to shrink long formulas. Here is a quick example to explain the LET function.
Original formula:
=IF(SUM(A1:A10)>100, “Too high”,
IF(SUM(A1:A10)>20, “Medium”,
IF(SUM(A1:A10)>0, “Positive”,
“Could be zero or negative”)))
Same formula with LET():
=LET(s, SUM(A1:A10),
IF(s>100, “Too high”,
IF(s>20, “Medium”,
IF(s>0, “Positive”,
"Could be zero or negative”))))
We are using the SUM(A1:A10) several times in the original formula. In the LET() formula version, we start by defining a variable s that is equal to SUM(A1:A10) and then we use s in rest of the formula. This simplifies the formula and supposedly makes it faster too (as Excel would calculate SUM(A1:A10) once.
Learn more about LET function
LET function is introduced newly and available only in Excel 365. Click here to read the documentation on LET function.
Understanding Number to Words Excel formula
The process for turning number to words is not complicated. If you know how to convert words for numbers up to 999, then same logic is applied to thousands, millions and billions too.
So let’s understand the process for numbers up to 999.
- Define two arrays upto19 and tys to hold {one,two…,nineteen} and {twenty, thirty…,ninety} respectively.
- From the input number (say in A1), calculate these 4 numbers and store them in variables.
- h = MOD(A1/100,10)
- t = MOD(A1,100)
- tens1 = INT(t/10)
- tens2 = MOD(t,10)
- One way to look at these four variables is,
- h has hundreds digit
- t tells the last two digits
- tens1 tells the tens digit
- tens2 tells the ones digit
- So for an input number like 987, the 4 values would be h=9, t=87, tens1=8 and tens2=7
- Now, construct the words version of number by simply concatenating below:
- INDEX(upto19, h)
- ” hundred “
- if tens1<2 then INDEX(upto19, t)
- else INDEX(tys, tens1-1)&”-“&INDEX(upto19, tens2)
The actual formula needs a few more if conditions to stop the flow when you hit a round number (like 500 should five hundred with no other words after).
The process for numbers up to 999,999:
We just need to follow the same idea as above, but twice. Once for thousands and once for balance.
Known limitations of this formula:
- This formula works up to numbers 999,999 only. You can scale it up to work with numbers up to a billion easily, but the formula gets longer.
- It ignores any portion after decimal point. So 1003.20 becomes one thousand three.
- It doesn’t show “zero” for 0 input value. The output would be blank instead.
Excel Number to Words Formula - Video Explanation
Just in case your head hurts after all that explanation above, watch this video to understand how the formula works (plus a quick demo of LET function).
Excel Number to Words - VBA User Defined Formula
If you are not able to use the formula version then consider using below VBA UDF to convert number to words. This works up to a billion.
Public Function number2words(thisNum As Double) As String
Dim bn As Integer, mn As Integer, th As Integer, h As Integer, retval As String
On Error GoTo msg
bn = Int(thisNum / 1000000000)
mn = Int(thisNum / 1000000) Mod 1000
th = Int(thisNum / 1000) Mod 1000
h = thisNum Mod 1000
If bn >= 1 Then
retval = num2words999(bn) & " billion "
End If
If mn >= 1 Then
retval = retval & num2words999(mn) & " million "
End If
If th >= 1 Then
retval = retval & num2words999(th) & " thousand "
End If
retval = retval & num2words999(h)
number2words = retval
Exit Function
msg:
number2words = "error"
End Function
Private Function num2words999(thisNum As Integer) As String
'convert any number up to 999 to words
Dim tys As Variant, upto19 As Variant
tys = Array("twenty", "thirty", "fourty", "fifty", "sixty", "seventy", "eighty", "ninety")
upto19 = Array("one", "two", "three", "four", "five", "six", "seven", "eight",
"nine", "ten", "eleven", "twelve", "thirteen", "fourteen", "fifteen",
"sixteen", "seventeen", "eighteen", "nineteen")
Dim h As Integer, t As Integer, tens1 As Integer, tens2 As Integer, retval As String
h = Int(thisNum / 100) Mod 10
t = thisNum Mod 100
tens1 = Int(t / 10)
tens2 = t Mod 10
If h >= 1 Then
retval = upto19(h - 1) & " hundred "
End If
If t >= 1 Then
If tens1 < 2 Then
retval = retval & upto19(t - 1)
Else
retval = retval & tys(tens1 - 2)
If tens2 >= 1 Then
retval = retval & "-" & upto19(tens2 - 1)
End If
End If
End If
num2words999 = retval
End Function
How to use the Number2Words UDF?
You do not need prior VBA knowledge to use this function. It works like any other Excel function once you install it.
To install Number2Words function:
- You must have Personal Macros enabled. If not, click here to read on how to do that.
- Go to your Personal Macros workbook. Add a module or open an existing module.
- Paste the above code there.
How to use the Number2Words function:
To use this function on value in A1, simply write =Number2Words(A1)
Known limitations:
- This function ignores any portion after decimal point
- It doesn’t say “Zero” if input is 0 or blank. It would simply return blank.
- The results are not capitalized. Use Excel functions like PROPER() to do that.
- This function works up to 2 billion.
- If you email the result workbook to a colleague or client, then they cannot refresh the formula (unless they too have installed Number2Words UDF)
FREE VBA Crash Course
If you are curious about VBA, click here for my free 5 part crash course.
Download File - Number to Words Formula & UDF
Formula & UDF to get Words from Number
Click here to download the sample file for this page. You can see number to words formula in column C. Column E has VBA version output. Play with the formulas or examine the code to learn more.
Comments or suggestions please....
I hope you are finding the number to words formulas useful. Let me know if you are facing any issues or have suggestions for changing the outputs.
28 Responses to “Team To Do Lists – Project Tracking Tools using Excel [Part 2 of 6]”
[...] & tracking a project plan using Gantt Charts Team To Do Lists - Project Tracking Tools Part 3: Preparing a project time line [upcoming] Part 4: Time sheets and Resource management [...]
the templates are great (I bought the combo).
What I'm missing is a way to have the project gantt chart and reporting with the data per resource, in such a way that I can also show the occupation per resource on an extended gantt chart.
So with hours entered per person per project or sub-activity, to show a gantt chart of how many hours/days a person spent on which project (or plans to spend).
[...] from: Team To Do Lists - Project Tracking Tools using Excel [Part 2 of 6] 25 Jun 09 | [...]
Hi Chandoo,
Funny I have a post on the value of MS project lined up which I will post when the current monster project I'm working on finishes and I get some free time!
I'm not sure this would help with any of the projects I've worked on, closing down a to do list seems like more effort than it's worth, but it might be useful for some things. I guessing it doesn't, but does the time stamp not update when you recalculate the work book?
keep up the good work!
Ross
@Ross.. Thanks for sharing your ideas... I think to do lists are a great way to keep up with project activities and ensure accountability from individual team members, when they are implemented right.
"I guessing it doesn’t, but does the time stamp not update when you recalculate the work book?"
Your guess is right. When you change the calculation mode to "iterative", excel takes care of the nittygritties and retains older values in circular references in formulas.
[...] Project Management in Excel [New Series] - Gantt Charts | To Do Lists [...]
[...] & tracking a project plan using Gantt Charts Team To Do Lists - Project Tracking Tools Project Status Reporting - Create a Timeline to display milestones Part 4: Time sheets and Resource [...]
Hi Chandoo,
The template give me lot of convenience to monitor the thing to do. It simple. Thank You
[...] & tracking a project plan using Gantt Charts Team To Do Lists - Project Tracking Tools Project Status Reporting - Create a Timeline to display milestones Part 4: Time sheets and Resource [...]
[...] make sure you have read the first 4 parts of the series - Making gantt charts [project planning], team todo lists [project tracking], project time lines chart [reporting] and Timesheets and Resource Management using Excel. Also [...]
Chandoo,
I really do not see any befit to this function in Excel unless it was somehow tied into some other chart. That is say a scheduled activities % complete is based on the to-do list.
The only way this chart would be useful is if no one was assigned none dependent task that could be done by anyone. The cases were both of these conditions are true are so few and far between it really makes this chart worthless.
@Brian... Once you have a todo list up and running, it is easy to get metrics out of it. I didnt propose it as it might look a bit too micro-management-ish.
I am able to understand what you meant by "The only way this chart would be useful is if no one was assigned none dependent task that could be done by anyone. The cases were both of these conditions are true are so few and far between it really makes this chart worthless."
Can you explain?
"Chandoo"
What I mean is this. Lets say you have 10 task which are part of one activity/WBS that is in your schedule. One there are very few cases were many people would be assigned to complete this one scheduled activity with no direction being given who should what of the 10 task. It is poor management, and the task 90% of the time would not get done in a timely manner if say 4 people were responsible. Secondly, you are assuming all 10 task are independent of each other. You might need to do task 1 thru 3 before you can do task 4, and to do task 7 you might need to do 4 and 6. Thirdly, the time it would take to compile and then fill out the to-do-list even in limited applications is really not worth it.
I just see almost no applications why a team would need to inform others separate from the schedule that they have completed a task on a to-do list unless anyone of the 4 people could of completed that task.
My point is, there might be a few very limited applications for this type of list but this list would be worthless as a Project Management tool in every other case.
However, change this from a to-do-list to a document change log and it is perfect. Instead of to-do it is the documents name or summary of what changed in the document. The person is who edited the document, and the time stamp is when they checked it in. But I do not know why you would use excel when there is free software you can use commercially that is 10 times better that does document management.
I think using excel to do Project Management over a real Project Management application is a bad idea. Unless you are running a very small, simple project, the time and effort is a lot more to use excel compared to the cost of the Project Management software.
This comes back to my point, I love your site, however, just because you can do something in excel does not mean you should do it. To often the time it takes to use excel is wasted 10 times over from the cost of doing it in an application designed to for the specific application.
@Brian: The todo list mentioned here is meant to keep track of all the tasks for which detailed planning is not necessary but some sort of tracking is needed. These are not be confused with project activities (a la gantt chart).
I like your suggestion about using this as a document tracker. Pretty cool use.
Coming to your point about excel as a real project management tool, well, I have my views, but in a serious project environment, it would surely payoff to have a dedicated project management application.
[...] & tracking a project plan using Gantt Charts Team To Do Lists – Project Tracking Tools Project Status Reporting – Create a Timeline to display milestones Time sheets and Resource [...]
Chandoo,
Wonder how the timestamp column will maintain its previous data. Both Today() and Now() functions will update as and when the next timestamp happens.
[...] Preparing & tracking a project plan using Gantt Charts Part2: Team To Do Lists – Project Tracking Tools Part3: Project Status Reporting – Create a Timeline to display milestones Part4: Time sheets and [...]
I've combined this with the issue tracker since I like the automatic date stamp, but one thing I'm noticing is that I can't replicate the chart that goes along with the issue tracker because the cells that are referenced have the formula that inserts the time stamp instead of a the actual date value. All the dates of the last 30 days display 0 when they should have a value.
Is there a way around this?
I have edited the chart so that my team members can update the percentage completion of the assigned tasks. When the cell is updated, i would like the time stamp to update. How would I manipulate the formula to update whenever the drop-down list is changed?
[...] … ??? To Do List [...]
Excel is great however sometimes you need to get a better idea of what tasks each person on your team is working on at any given time. We've developed a web app that can do just that! Each person has a list of tasks, listed in the order they have to complete them.
HII,
I want to expand the database through excel where i am working on 11 cities as of now and i want to expand it upto 50 cities and hence forth the data related to it will also expand so i want to make it precise where i can get updates also that this work is required to be done at that particular day or date
Thanks for making all of this information available for free. I am currently using excel to track everything for the first time. I later plan to output our information here with a more visual presentation. Wish me luck!
Can some one point me out to some additional direction on the "Who Finished it?" column? Something more 'basic' for a newbie excel guy? lol I got everything else working on this tutorial but that column. I can't seem to recreate it and I know a lot of it is due to lack of knowledge with VB code. I'd like to recreate this column very much 🙁
Dear Chandoo,
Thanks for the team to do list, kindly let me know how to set the column who " finished it " from another work sheet
Hi Chandoo,
Unable to download it - can you please check the link and confirm.
Great inhisgt! That's the answer we've been looking for.
Hi Team,
I know u all are the best programmers in the world!!! that's I am here to rectify my issues. here is my question please ans me as soon as possible before 8-3-2017 its really urgent.
I have a project named the production tracker.
1) I require the user form which shows the names of the Associates which are linked to the different tracks. when the user is selected the particular track related details and dropdowns should appear.
2) I need to track the associate needs how much of the time to complete the particular task. with start stop and pause and resume timer.
3) It should display the daily count of the production and save the data to the another Excel file.
this production tracker should save all the data no matter how many people logs in into it.
Please help me for this it will be very appreciated.
you can directly email me on my mail ID: tusharkch694@gmail.com