The FIXED function in Excel is a powerful tool designed to format numbers as text while maintaining a consistent number of decimal places. This function is particularly useful when presenting numerical data in reports or dashboards, where precision and readability are essential.

Syntax

FIXED(number, [decimals], [no_commas])

• number: The numeric value you wish to format.
• decimals: (Optional) The number of decimal places to display. Default is 2.
• no_commas: (Optional) A boolean value that dictates whether to include commas in the formatted output. Default is FALSE (commas included).

Example #1

=FIXED(1234.56789, 2)

This function formats the number 1234.56789 to two decimal places, resulting in “1,234.57”.

Example #2

=FIXED(1234.56789, 2, TRUE)

In this example, the function formats the number to two decimal places without commas, yielding “1234.57”.

Example #3

=FIXED(2.345678, 4)

Here, the number 2.345678 is formatted to four decimal places, resulting in “2.3457”.

Error handling

• VALUE!: This error occurs if the number argument is not a valid numeric value.
• NUM!: This error arises when the decimals argument is a non-integer value or less than -1.
• NAME?: An error indicating that the function name is not recognized, potentially due to a typo.

Conclusion

In summary, the FIXED function is an essential tool for Excel users who need to format numbers as text with a specified number of decimal places. Utilizing this function can enhance the presentation of numerical data, making it clearer and more professional in reports and analyses.