How to Remove Dollar Sign in Excel

In the vast world of Excel, we often find ourselves juggling various data formats, from percentages to dates, and of course, currency.

While the dollar sign is a familiar sight in financial spreadsheets, there are moments when its presence is more of a hindrance than a help.

Whether you’re streamlining data for a presentation, preparing figures for a non-financial report, or simply tidying up your worksheet, knowing how to efficiently remove dollar signs can be a game-changer.

In this article, we’ll delve into five simple yet effective methods to banish those pesky dollar signs from your Excel sheets, ensuring your data is presented exactly as you intend.

To explain the different methods, we will be using the sales data, which is expressed in dollars for the months of January to October.

Method 1: Format Cells Dialog Box

If the Dollar sign was added due to the currency format setting, you could use this option to remove it. Here are the steps for removing the Dollar sign from the data below:

1. Select the cells that contain the Dollar signs you want to remove, in this case we are referring to column ‘C’

2. On the selected cells, right-click and select “Format Cells” from the context menu

3. Once the Format Cells dialog box opens up, go to the “Number” tab  

4. Under the “Category” list, select “Currency” 

5. Click on the drop-down list next to “Symbol” and select “None” 

6. Click OK to apply the changes and remove the Dollar signs

7. The result is sales numbers without dollar signs as shown in the below screenshot

You can also use Format Painter to copy the formatting in the remaining cells.

Also read: How to Combine First and Last Names in Excel?

Method 2: Find and Replace

If the cells in a spreadsheet have a consistent pattern, such as a Dollar sign followed by a space or other character and then the actual number, the Find and Replace feature can be used to remove the Dollar signs.

It can be done by searching for the Dollar sign and replacing it with empty space, effectively removing it from the cells.

Here are the steps to use the ‘Find and Replace’ option. We will be using the sales data, which is expressed in dollars, for the months of January to October.

1. Select the cells that contain the dollar signs you want to remove 

2. Under the ‘Home’ tab, click on “Find and Select” as highlighted in the screenshot

3. Under the drop-down, select ‘Replace’ OR simply enter “CTRL+H” on your keyboard

The below dialog box will appear as shown in the screenshot

4. Select “Replace’ tab,

• Enter the dollar sign “$” in the “Find What” field. If you find a space/ any other character after the Dollar sign, enter “$” followed by a space or particular character.

• Leave the “Replace with” field empty. 

5. Click on the “Replace All” button to remove all dollar signs from the selected cells

6. The dollar signs are removed as prefix from the sales figures.  Copy and paste the formula to remove the signs from the remaining cells.

Also read: How To Highlight Blank Cells In Excel

Method 3: Formula 

If the above method of using the “Format Cells Dialog Box” feature to remove Dollar signs from cells in a spreadsheet does not work, it may be because the dollar symbol was not added through formatting.

Users may sometimes add the Dollar symbol by converting the cell to text. To determine if this is the case, you can check for certain signs, such as the left alignment of the cell or the cell showing the green triangle in the top-left corner.

In such cases, you can use the formula method to remove the dollar sign. Here are the steps to follow:

Using the sales data, which is expressed in dollars for the months of January to October

1. In a new column,
   •  Type the formula =RIGHT(C2, LEN(C2)-1), where C2 is the reference to the cell you want to remove the Dollar sign

2. Press the return/ Enter key. This will give you the cell’s contents with the Dollar sign removed. 

3. To apply or copy this formula to the remaining cells in the column, double-click on the fill handle (at the bottom-right corner of the cell).

Method 4: Value Function

You can also use the Value function to remove unwanted Dollar signs from your Excel data set. Here’s how you could use the Value function:

Select the cell(s) that contain the Dollar signs you want to remove

1. In a new column, type the formula =VALUE(C2), where C2 is the reference to the first cell you want to remove the Dollar sign

2. Enter the return key. You can see that the dollar sign has disappeared. Copy and paste the formula in the remaining cells. 

Also read: Accounting Format Shortcut in Excel

Method 5: Substitute Function 

The SUBSTITUTE function in Excel replaces specific text or characters within a cell or range of cells with new text or characters.

For example, it can be used to remove Dollar signs or any other unwanted characters by replacing them with an empty string.

1. Select the cell containing the dollar sign to be removed

2. Type the formula =SUBSTITUTE(C2,”$”,””) to a new cell where you want the data, where C2 is the reference to the first cell you want to remove the Dollar sign

3. Press the return key/ Enter to remove the dollar sign. Copy and paste the formula in the remaining cells. 

We have discussed various methods to remove dollar signs, choose the method that best fits your needs.

Excel’s prowess extends far beyond mere number crunching. As we’ve explored in this guide, even seemingly small tasks like removing dollar signs can be achieved with precision and efficiency. By mastering these nuances, users can ensure their data is not only accurate but also presented in the most appropriate format for their audience. So, the next time you find yourself grappling with unwanted symbols or formatting challenges, recall the techniques we’ve discussed and navigate your Excel journey with confidence.

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• How To Highlight Blank Cells In Excel