How to Use TEXT Function in Excel
Use Excel's TEXT function to format dates, numbers, percentages, and currency inside formulas without changing the underlying cell value.
Reviewed by Griddy
Updated for current Excel and Google Sheets workflows, with examples chosen to map back to real spreadsheet tasks rather than abstract formula syntax.
The TEXT function converts a value into formatted text. Use it when a formula needs to produce a readable label, sentence, report title, invoice note, or status message without changing the original number or date.
TEXT is especially useful in reports built from budget, invoice, CRM, and operating data where the output needs to be readable by someone who will not inspect the formula.
The syntax
=TEXT(value, format_text)- value — the number, date, or cell reference you want to format
- format_text — the Excel number format wrapped in double quotes
The result is text, not a number. That matters if you want to use the output in later calculations.
Step 1. Format a date inside a sentence
If A2 contains an invoice date, this formula creates a readable label:
="Invoice date: "&TEXT(A2, "mmm d, yyyy")If A2 is 5/1/2026, the result is Invoice date: May 1, 2026.
This is cleaner than manually typing month names or building separate helper columns for day, month, and year.
Step 2. Format currency
If B2 contains a total amount:
="Total due: "&TEXT(B2, "$#,##0.00")That turns 1250 into Total due: $1,250.00.
This pattern is useful in an invoice template or a monthly budget summary where the label needs to include the formatted amount.
Step 3. Format percentages
If C2 contains margin as a decimal, format it as a percentage:
=TEXT(C2, "0.0%")If C2 is 0.342, the result is 34.2%.
That can make summary notes easier to read in a small business budget where margin is part of the management review.
Step 4. Build dynamic report labels
TEXT is often used with concatenation:
="Budget review for "&TEXT(A2, "mmmm yyyy")&": "&TEXT(B2, "$#,##0")This creates a label like Budget review for May 2026: $42,000.
⚠ WATCH OUT
Common format codes
| Goal | Format text | Example output |
|---|---|---|
| Month and year | "mmmm yyyy" | May 2026 |
| Short date | "m/d/yy" | 5/1/26 |
| Currency | "$#,##0.00" | $1,250.00 |
| Whole number | "#,##0" | 1,250 |
| Percentage | "0.0%" | 34.2% |
The Griddy way
TEXT formulas are useful, but format codes are easy to forget and hard to audit when they get buried in report labels.
"Create a monthly budget summary label that shows the month, total revenue as currency, and gross margin as a percentage"
Griddy writes the formula, keeps the source values intact, and places the formatted output where the report needs it.
Skip the manual work
Describe it. Griddy does it.
Instead of writing this formula yourself, just tell Griddy what you need in plain English. Works in Excel and Google Sheets.
Use this on real templates
Turn finance values into readable labels
TEXT is useful when budgets, invoices, and reporting sheets need dates, currency, and percentages embedded in review-ready labels.
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Log every expense, track receipts, and generate category summaries. Free template for personal or business use.