If the number is formatted in the General number format and if the column
width selected is less than the width needed to display the entire number,
the number is rounded off to the nearest decimal place or whole number that
the column width will allow. For example:
2.86 may be rounded to 2.9 or 3
2.3 may be rounded to 2
0.3 may be rounded to 0
This effect is different of that of the other number formats, which display
number signs (#) across the width of the column if the width is not
sufficient to display all the decimal digits. However the number will be
displayed as (#) if the column width becomes too small to display the
entire number.
Even though the number format is rounded, all calculations that are based
on these values use the original stored values. This is true even if the
Precision As Displayed option is selected on the Calculation tab of the
Options dialog box (Options on the Tools menu).
Steps to See the Column Width Rounding Behavior
- Type the following in a new worksheet:
A1: 2.3 B1:=SUM(a1:a8) C1: 2.3 D1: =SUM(C1:C8)
A2: 2.5 C2: 2.5
A3: 2.5 C3: 2.5
A4: 3.2 C4: 3.2
A5: 2.7 C5: 2.7
A6: 1 C6: 1
A7: 2.45 C7: 2.45
A8: 2.5 C8: 2.5
- Select column A.
- Point to Column on the Format menu and click Width. Type 2.86 for the
column width and click OK.
Notice that the displayed values in column A are now rounded to the
nearest whole number, but the stored values have not changed. The SUM
function in cell B1 proves the underlying values of the numbers has not
changed.
- Select cell A1.
The formula bar still shows the original value, that is, 2.3. This is true
for all values in column A.