3 Ways To Remove Apostrophes Before Numbers In Excel

The importance of data accuracy in Excel cannot be overstated. When working with numbers, it's frustrating to encounter errors caused by apostrophes or other unwanted characters. In this article, we'll explore three effective methods to remove apostrophes before numbers in Excel, ensuring your data is clean and error-free.

Apostrophes before numbers can occur due to various reasons such as data import issues, incorrect formatting, or manual entry errors. Regardless of the cause, it's essential to remove these apostrophes to perform calculations, formatting, and analysis correctly. In the following sections, we'll dive into three step-by-step methods to achieve this.

Method 1: Using the Text to Columns Feature

The Text to Columns feature in Excel allows you to split text into separate columns based on specific delimiters. You can also use this feature to remove apostrophes before numbers. Here's how:

Select the cell or range of cells containing the numbers with apostrophes.
Go to the "Data" tab in the ribbon.
Click on the "Text to Columns" button in the "Data Tools" group.
In the "Text to Columns" dialog box, select "Delimited Text" and click "Next."
Uncheck all the delimiter options (Tab, Semicolon, Comma, Space, and Other).
Click "Next" and then "Finish."

This method will remove the apostrophes from the numbers, and you can then format the cells as numbers.

Method 2: Using the SUBSTITUTE Function

The SUBSTITUTE function in Excel replaces a specified text string with another string. You can use this function to remove apostrophes before numbers. Here's the syntax:

=SUBSTITUTE(A1,"'","")

Where A1 is the cell containing the number with an apostrophe.

Select the cell or range of cells containing the numbers with apostrophes.
Enter the SUBSTITUTE function in the formula bar.
Press Enter to apply the formula.

This method will replace the apostrophe with nothing, effectively removing it.

Method 3: Using Power Query

Power Query is a powerful data manipulation tool in Excel that allows you to transform and clean data. You can use Power Query to remove apostrophes before numbers. Here's how:

Select the cell or range of cells containing the numbers with apostrophes.
Go to the "Data" tab in the ribbon.
Click on the "From Table/Range" button in the "Get & Transform Data" group.
In the Power Query Editor, select the column containing the numbers with apostrophes.
Go to the "Home" tab in the ribbon.
Click on the "Replace & Fill" button in the "Transform" group.
Select "Replace Values" from the drop-down menu.
In the "Replace Values" dialog box, enter the apostrophe (') in the "Value to Find" field and leave the "Replace With" field blank.
Click "OK" to apply the changes.

This method will remove the apostrophes from the numbers, and you can then load the data back into Excel.

Additional Tips and Variations

If you have a large dataset, using Power Query can be more efficient than using the SUBSTITUTE function.
You can also use the FIND and REPLACE functions in combination to remove apostrophes before numbers.
If you're working with a specific formatting style, you may need to adjust the formatting after removing the apostrophes.

Apostrophes in Excel Image Gallery

In conclusion, removing apostrophes before numbers in Excel is a crucial step in ensuring data accuracy. By using one of the three methods outlined above – Text to Columns, SUBSTITUTE function, or Power Query – you can efficiently remove apostrophes and ensure your data is clean and error-free. Remember to adjust formatting as needed and explore additional tips and variations to optimize your data analysis workflow.

We'd love to hear from you! Share your favorite method for removing apostrophes in Excel or ask a question in the comments below.