Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2016. If you are using an earlier version (Excel 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Excel, click here: Fixing the Decimal Point.
Most electronic calculators have an option that allows you to specify a fixed location for a decimal point. This comes in real handy when you are working with dollars and cents, for instance. With the decimal point fixed at two places, you can enter "213" and have the calculator translate it as "2.13". Likewise, if you enter "2", the calculator translates it as "0.02".
Excel has a feature that allows you to do the same thing. To fix the number of decimal places assumed when inputting information, follow these steps:
Figure 1. The advanced options of the Excel Options dialog box.
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (7565) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2016. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Excel here: Fixing the Decimal Point.
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2022-01-26 11:59:56
J. Woolley
@Philip
On Windows you can right-click the status bar and put a check mark next to "Fixed Decimal" so it will be indicated, but only if ON.
2022-01-25 09:13:49
Philip
On Mac (excel 365 latest update 16.57) the setting to fix the number of decimal places works fine, except for one thing: the "Fixed Decimal" indication on the status bar does NOT show up.
Anybody has the same experience?
2021-12-14 07:51:08
Billy Thomas
Macro to easily and quickly set the decimal point to 1, 2, 3, etc.. Note the part that says how to cancel & go back to zero...
Sub FixDecimals()
Dim Answer As Variant
Answer = Application.InputBox("Enter Number of Decimals." & vbCrLf & "To cancel this feature, invoke this procedure and enter 0 [zero].", "Get Number", Type:=1)
If TypeName(Answer) = "Boolean" Then Exit Sub
If Answer = "0" Then
Application.FixedDecimal = False
Exit Sub
Else
Application.FixedDecimal = True
'ActiveCell.Value = ActiveCell.Value & "*" & Answer
Application.FixedDecimalPlaces = Answer
End If
End Sub
2021-12-13 09:58:01
kiwerry
This tool to toggle the setting may be useful if one needs to change the setting often. It has been written out long for readability, and if the setting is switched o it sets decimals to two, which can of course easily be changed:
Sub Toggle_Decimal_on_Entry()
If Application.FixedDecimal = True Then
Application.FixedDecimal = False
Else
Application.FixedDecimal = True
Application.FixedDecimalPlaces = 2
End If
End Sub
2020-07-11 22:45:41
Mark
Thanks, been trying to fix this for a month !
2017-08-19 09:14:27
Allen
On the Mac, Mike, choose Excel > Preferences > Edit. You can change the "Display this number of decimal places" setting.
-Allen
2017-08-19 08:04:45
Mike Smith
Unfortunately this doesn't seem to work in Excel for Mac Version 15.32 (170309).
There is no File tab available in the ribbon and no Options panel anywhere that I can find.
Any suggestions would be very welcome - this tip alone would save me hundreds of clicks a week!
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Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2016. If you are using an earlier version (Excel 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Excel, click here: 
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