What units does CONVERT support?

CONVERT supports distance (m, ft, km, mi, nmi, in, yd), weight (g, kg, lb, oz, stone, ton), temperature (C, F, K), pressure, energy, power, magnetic field, and volume/liquid measures (tsp, tbsp, fl oz, cup, pt, qt, gal, l, ml). Consult your spreadsheet's documentation for the full list of abbreviations, as some units are version-specific.

Can CONVERT handle decimal and negative numbers?

Yes, CONVERT works with any numeric value, including decimals and negatives. For example, =CONVERT(98.6, "F", "C") converts body temperature, and =CONVERT(-40, "C", "F") correctly converts -40°C (which equals -40°F at this special point).

What's the difference between #N/A and #VALUE! errors in CONVERT?

#N/A means the units are valid but incompatible (e.g., distance vs. temperature). #VALUE! means a unit code is misspelled, unrecognized, or the first argument is not a number. Check the specific error to diagnose which problem to fix.

Can I convert between time units like hours to minutes?

CONVERT does not include time units like hours or minutes in its unit system. For time conversions, use manual formulas instead: multiply hours by 60 to get minutes, or by 3600 to get seconds. Alternatively, use spreadsheet time functions if working with time values.

CONVERT function

Converts numbers between compatible units of measurement like meters to feet, kilograms to pounds, and Celsius to Fahrenheit.

=CONVERT(number, from_unit, to_unit)

Generate a CONVERT formula

Describe what you need. The generator will reach for CONVERT where CONVERT is the right tool, and tell you when it is not.

Arguments

How CONVERT reads its arguments

Argument	Required	Description
number	Required	A numeric value to convert. Must be a number or formula that returns a number; empty cells or text return #VALUE!.
from_unit	Required	A text code naming the source unit (e.g., "m" for meters, "C" for Celsius, "kg" for kilograms). Must be a recognized standard abbreviation; full names like "meters" return #VALUE!.
to_unit	Required	A text code naming the target unit (e.g., "ft" for feet, "F" for Fahrenheit, "lb" for pounds). Must be compatible with from_unit; converting between different measurement types (e.g., distance to temperature) returns #N/A.

Returns

A number in the target unit; returns #N/A if units are incompatible, #VALUE! if units are invalid.

Availability

Excel: All · Google Sheets: Supported

Worked examples

1. Convert a reported distance measurement from meters to feet

Ticket ID	Priority	Agent	Issue	Distance (m)
5438	2	James	Cable span measurement	100
5439	4	Sarah	WiFi range	50
5440	1	Marcus	Network cable run	150

=CONVERT(D2, "m", "ft")

Result: 328.084

D2 contains 100 (the distance in meters from Ticket 5438's cable span issue). CONVERT multiplies by the conversion factor 3.28084 to get feet. This is useful when support tickets report distances in metric units but your documentation uses imperial.

2. Convert system temperature from Celsius to Fahrenheit

Ticket ID	Priority	Agent	Alert Type	Temperature (C)	CSAT
5438	2	James	Normal	25	5
5439	4	Sarah	Overtemp warning	45	4
5440	1	Marcus	Critical	60	5

=CONVERT(E2, "C", "F")

Result: 113

E2 contains 45 degrees Celsius from Ticket 5439's overtemp alert. The formula converts to Fahrenheit using (C × 9/5) + 32 automatically. Useful when you receive temperature readings in Celsius but need to report or compare them in Fahrenheit for regional teams.

3. Convert package weight from kilograms to pounds

Ticket ID	Priority	Agent	Item Type	Weight (kg)	CSAT
5438	2	James	Server module	5	5
5439	4	Sarah	Backup drive	2.5	4
5440	1	Marcus	Equipment case	8	5

=CONVERT(D2, "kg", "lb")

Result: 11.023

D2 contains 5 kg from Ticket 5438's server module shipment. CONVERT multiplies by 2.20462 to convert to pounds. This is essential when your warehouse uses metric weight specifications but shipping labels and carrier limits are in pounds.

Common errors

Which CONVERT error are you seeing?

Error	Why it happens	How to fix it
#N/A	The from_unit and to_unit measure different physical quantities. For example, =CONVERT(100, "m", "C") attempts to convert distance to temperature, which CONVERT cannot do.	Verify both units measure the same type (distance to distance, temperature to temperature, etc.). Check the documentation for which unit groups are compatible.
#VALUE!	The unit code is not recognized, usually because it is misspelled or uses the full unit name instead of the abbreviation. For example, =CONVERT(100, "meter", "ft") fails because CONVERT requires the abbreviation "m", not "meter".	Use the correct standard unit abbreviations as defined in your spreadsheet's documentation (e.g., "m" for meters, "kg" for kilograms, "F" for Fahrenheit).
#VALUE!	The first argument (number) is not numeric. This occurs when you pass a text string, an empty cell, or a formula that returns text instead of a number.	Ensure the first argument is a number or references a cell containing a numeric value. Use VALUE() to convert text that looks like a number into an actual number.

Tips and when to use something else

Always use the correct unit abbreviations ("m", "ft", "kg", "C") not full names ("meters", "feet") — abbreviations are case-sensitive in some versions.
For custom or non-standard unit conversions, build a lookup table and use VLOOKUP instead of CONVERT, which only supports predefined measurement units.
Wrap CONVERT in IFERROR to gracefully handle unit incompatibility errors in large datasets, e.g., =IFERROR(CONVERT(...), "Incompatible units").
Temperature conversions (Celsius ↔ Fahrenheit ↔ Kelvin) are CONVERT's most common use; it handles the complex formulas automatically, avoiding manual calculation errors.

Related functions

VLOOKUPVLOOKUP searches the first column of a table and returns a value from a specified column in the same row, optionally using exact or approximate matching.IFERRORIFERROR returns the result of a formula unless that formula generates an error, in which case it returns a user-specified alternative value.IFThe IF function returns one value if a condition is true and another (or nothing) if it is false, letting you branch logic in a cell.INDEXINDEX returns the value or array of values from a specified position within a given range, based on row and optional column numbers.

Frequently asked questions

What units does CONVERT support?: CONVERT supports distance (m, ft, km, mi, nmi, in, yd), weight (g, kg, lb, oz, stone, ton), temperature (C, F, K), pressure, energy, power, magnetic field, and volume/liquid measures (tsp, tbsp, fl oz, cup, pt, qt, gal, l, ml). Consult your spreadsheet's documentation for the full list of abbreviations, as some units are version-specific.
Can CONVERT handle decimal and negative numbers?: Yes, CONVERT works with any numeric value, including decimals and negatives. For example, =CONVERT(98.6, "F", "C") converts body temperature, and =CONVERT(-40, "C", "F") correctly converts -40°C (which equals -40°F at this special point).
What's the difference between #N/A and #VALUE! errors in CONVERT?: #N/A means the units are valid but incompatible (e.g., distance vs. temperature). #VALUE! means a unit code is misspelled, unrecognized, or the first argument is not a number. Check the specific error to diagnose which problem to fix.
Can I convert between time units like hours to minutes?: CONVERT does not include time units like hours or minutes in its unit system. For time conversions, use manual formulas instead: multiply hours by 60 to get minutes, or by 3600 to get seconds. Alternatively, use spreadsheet time functions if working with time values.

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Reviewed 2026-09-17