automatic insertion of decimal point

Question

Level 1

8 points

automatic insertion of decimal point

How do you make numbers automatically insert a decimal point? I want to input 12356 and I want it to appear in the cell as 123.56. In other words I want numbers to insert a decimal point in front of the last two digits I input. Having to input the decimal point myself really slows me down.

to insert a decimal point

MacBook air, Mac OS X (10.5.6)

Posted on Apr 6, 2009 4:45 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Apr 6, 2009 9:44 AM in response to GGloggs

GG,

You could have an auxiliary column which divides your input by 100 and displays the result with 2 decimal places.

Jerry

Reply

Answer 2

GGloggs Author

Level 1

8 points

Apr 6, 2009 10:39 AM in response to Jerrold Green1

Thanks Jerry- that is a clever idea. My problem is that I have three large spreadsheets to fill. In Excel you simply change the options and I am amazed that Numbers does not use anything similar. I am new to Mac & Numbers and I really like them both, but I will have to continue with Excel if there is no solution to this.

Thanks again

GG

Reply

Answer 3

Apr 6, 2009 11:45 AM in response to GGloggs

That sounds a great productivity feature, give Apple feedback on this:

+Menu > Numbers > Provide Numbers Feedback+

Peter

Reply

Answer 4

Apr 6, 2009 1:01 PM in response to GGloggs

GG,

What option is that in Excel that you change? I'd like to try it, but I never knew it existed. I don't find it in my Office 2004 version.

Jerry

Reply

Answer 5

GGloggs Author

Level 1

8 points

Apr 6, 2009 5:24 PM in response to Jerrold Green1

Hi Jerry

The fixed decimal point feature is available in Excel 2002 and is found under:

Tools > options > edit tab

about half way down click box next to fixed decimal point and you can also specify the number of decimal points.

This fixed decimal point feature is then global for all sheets.

In Excel 2007 click office button top left of screen

in bottom right of drop down menu is a box named Excel options- click this
then choose Advanced which is 5th option on LHS of menu and click second box in the menu next to Automatically insert a decimal point. You can again specify the number of points excel uses.

I think this fixed decimal point feature must exist in Office 2004 as it appears in Excel 2002 and 2007.

Hope this helps you. You don't miss it on a desktop keyboard where there is a numeric keypad but on a laptop it is a real pain to have to input the point on every entry.

GG

Reply

Answer 6

GGloggs Author

Level 1

8 points

Apr 6, 2009 5:37 PM in response to PeterBreis0807

Good advice Peter. I have done just that.

GG

Reply

Answer 7

GGloggs Author

Level 1

8 points

Apr 6, 2009 5:44 PM in response to Jerrold Green1

Jerry

With reference to my previous reply to you about fixed decimal point insertion in Excel, I should have stated that the instructions refer to the PC version of Excel. I do not know if the PC differs from the Mac version.

Glyn

Reply

Answer 8

Apr 6, 2009 6:11 PM in response to GGloggs

Glyn,

You're right, it's in a different place on the Mac. Excel > Preferences > Edit. In all my years of using a PC and even Excel on the Mac I never had occasion to use, or even imagine, that feature. I am surprised that it's a permanent setting; not just a range format, not just for a document, but for all documents until the Preference is changed again.

Thanks for pointing it out. Good luck with your feature request in Numbers.

Jerry

Reply