A number format changes how a value is displayed without changing the underlying value. 0.08 can show as 8%, $0.08, or 0.080 — it's still 0.08 to every formula.
A budget spreadsheet with currency and percentage values
| Format | 12500 shows as |
|---|---|
| General | 12500 |
| Number (2 dp) | 12,500.00 |
| Currency | $12,500.00 |
| Accounting | $ 12,500.00 (aligned) |
| Percentage | 1250000% |
| Date | 14/03/1934 (as a serial!) |
Percentage format multiplies the display by 100. If you type 8 and apply Percent, you get 800%. Type 8% (or 0.08) to get 8%.
| Format | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| General | CtrlShift+~ |
| Currency | CtrlShift+$ |
| Percent | CtrlShift+% |
| Number (2 dp, commas) | CtrlShift+! |
| Date | CtrlShift+# |
For full control, open Format Cells (Ctrl1) → Custom and use format codes:
0.00 → 1234.50
#,##0 → 1,235
$#,##0.00 → $1,234.50
0.0% → 8.0%
#,##0;[Red](#,##0) → negatives in red parentheses
"Qty: "0 → Qty: 12
0 forces a digit (shows 0 if empty).# shows a digit only if present.; separates positive;negative;zero;text sections.To display a value exactly as typed (e.g. a leading zero or a long ID), format the cell as Text before typing, or prefix with an apostrophe: '007.