XL: Number Not Formatted as Expected with "Percentage" Format

 Last reviewed: December 1, 1997
Article ID: Q138821
The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Excel for Windows 95, version 7.0
  • Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows

In Microsoft Excel versions 7.0 and 97, when you format a blank cell with the percentage format and then enter a number in that cell, the number is multiplied by 100 only if the absolute value of the number is less than one AND you don't precede the decimal point (if present) with a zero. If the number is one or greater, a percentage sign is added to the number. For example: 

   Typing this...   ...results in this
   -----------------------------------
   32                           32.00%
   .32                          32.00%
   0.32                          0.32%
This behavior is not documented correctly on the Number tab in the Format Cells dialog box. On the Number tab, the following message is displayed at the bottom of the tab: 

   Percentage formats multiply the cell value by 100 and display the result
   with a percent symbol.
Note also that in Microsoft Excel version 5.0, any number formatted as a percentage is multiplied by 100.

Additional query words: XL97 XL7 7.00 decimal
Keywords : xlwin kbdocerr kbusage
Version : 7.00
Platform : WINDOWS

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Last reviewed: December 1, 1997
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