ultimate short custom number formatting - K, M, B, T, etc., Q, D, Googol

Question

is there a way how to custom format ridiculously large numbers (at least up to 10^100 in both ways) in google sheets:

thousands                > K
millions                 > M
billions                 > B
trillions                > T
etc...
negative quadrillions    > Q
decillions               > D

either via:

• internal custom number formatting
• formula (array formula ofc)
• script similar to this one just extended to cover more ground

---

                                                            10000.1     10.0K
                                                                100    100.0 
                                                               1000      1.0K
                                                              10000     10.0K
                                                            -100000   -100.0K
                                                           45646454     45.6M
                                                      5654894844216      5.7T
                                                         4655454544      4.7B
                                                     46546465455511     46.5T
                                                    -46546465455511    -46.5T
4654646545551184854556546454454400000000000000000000000000010000000      4.7U
    
                                                         -1000.9999     -1.0K
                                                          -100.8989   -100.9 
                                                            -20.354    -20.4 
                                                               1.03      1.0 
                                                             22E+32      2.2D

Wittol

Answer 1

internal custom number formatting solution:

sadly, the internal formatting in google sheets is by default able to work with only 3 types of numbers:

• positive (1, 2, 5, 10, ...)
• negative (-3, -9, -7, ...)
• zero (0)

this can be tweaked to show custom formatting like thousands K, millions M and regular small numbers:

[>999999]0.0,,"M";[>999]0.0,"K";0

or only thousands K, millions M, billions B

[<999950]0.0,"K";[<999950000]0.0,,"M";0.0,,,"B"

or only negative thousands K, negative millions M, negative billions B

[>-999950]0.0,"K";[>-999950000]0.0,,"M";0.0,,,"B"

or only millions M, billions B, trillions T:

[<999950000]0.0,,"M";[<999950000000]0.0,,,"B";0.0,,,,"T"

or only numbers from negative million M to positive million M:

[>=999950]0.0,,"M";[<=-999950]0.0,,"M";0.0,"K"

but you always got only 3 slots you can use, meaning that you can't have trillions as the 4th type/slot. fyi, the 4th slot exists, but it's reserved for text. to learn more about internal formatting in google sheets see:

• https://developers.google.com/sheets/api/guides/formats#meta_instructions
• https://www.benlcollins.com/spreadsheets/google-sheets-custom-number-format/

---

---

---

formula (array formula) solution:

the formula approach is more versatile... first, you will need to decide on the system/standard you want to use (American, European, Greek, International, Unofficial, etc...):

• en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Names_of_large_numbers
• en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metric_prefix
• simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Names_for_large_numbers
• home.kpn.nl/vanadovv/BignumbyN

after that try:

=INDEX(REGEXREPLACE(IFNA(TEXT(A:A/10^(VLOOKUP(LEN(TEXT(INT(ABS(A:A)), "0"))-1, 
 SEQUENCE(35, 1,, 3), 1, 1)), "#.0")&VLOOKUP(ABS(A:A)*1, {{10^SEQUENCE(34, 1, 3, 3)}, 
 {"K  "; "M  "; "B  "; "T  "; "Qa "; "Qi "; "Sx "; "Sp "; "O  "; "N  "; "D  "; "Ud "; 
  "Dd "; "Td "; "Qad"; "Qid"; "Sxd"; "Spd"; "Od "; "Nd "; "V  "; "Uv "; "Dv "; "Tv "; 
  "Qav"; "Qiv"; "Sxv"; "Spv"; "Ov "; "Nv "; "Tr "; "Ut "; "Dt "; "Tt "}}, 2, 1), 
 IF(ISBLANK(A:A),, TEXT(A:A, "0.0   "))), "^0\.0   $", "0     "))

• works with positive numbers
• works with negative numbers
• works with zero
• works with decimal numbers
• works with numeric values
• works with plain text numbers
• works with scientific notations
• works with blank cells
• works up to googol 10^104 in both ways

---

---

extra points if you are interested in how it works...

let's start with virtual array {{},{}}. SEQUENCE(34, 1, 3, 3) will give us 34 numbers in 1 column starting from number 3 with the step of 3 numbers:

these will be used as exponents while rising 10 on the power ^

so our virtual array will be:

next, we insert it as the 2nd argument of VLOOKUP where we check ABS absolute values (converting negative values into positive) of A column multiplied by *1 just in case values of A column are not numeric. via VLOOKUP we return the second 2 column and as the 4th argument, we use approximate mode 1

numbers from -999 to 999 will intentionally error out at this point so we could later use IFNA to "fix" our errors with IF(A:A=IF(,,),, TEXT(A:A, "#.0 ")) translated as: if range A:A is truly empty ISBLANK output nothing, else format A column with provided pattern #.0 eg. if cell A5 = empty, the output will be blank cell... if -999 < A5=50 < 999 the output will be 50.0

and the last part:

TEXT(A:A/10^(VLOOKUP(LEN(TEXT(INT(ABS(A:A)), "0"))-1, 
SEQUENCE(35, 1,, 3), 1, 1)), "#.0")

ABS(A:A) to convert negative numbers into positive. INT to remove decimal numbers if any. TEXT(, "0") to convert scientific notations 3E+8 into regular numbers 300000000. LEN to count digits. -1 to correct for base10 notation. VLOOKUP above-constructed number in SEQUENCE of 35 numbers in 1 column, this time starting from number 0 ,, with the step of 3 numbers. return via VLOOKUP the first 1 column (eg. the sequence) in approximate mode 1 of vlookup. insert this number as exponent when rising the 10 on power ^. and take values in A column and divide it by the above-constructed number 10 raised on the power ^ of a specific exponent. and lastly, format it with TEXT as #.0

to convert ugly 0.0 into beautiful 0 we just use REGEXREPLACE. and INDEX is used instead of the longer ARRAYFORMULA.

sidenote: to remove trailing spaces (which are there to add nice alignment lol) either remove them from the formula or use TRIM right after INDEX.

---

---

---

script solution:

gratitude to @TheMaster for covering this

here is a mod of it:

/**
 * formats various numbers according to the provided short format
 * @customfunction
 * @param {A1:C100} range a 2D array
 * @param {[X1:Y10]} database [optional] a real/virtual 2D array 
 * where the odd column holds exponent of base 10 
 * and the even column contains format suffixes
 * @param {[5]} value [optional] fix suffix to fixed length 
 * by padding spaces (only if the second parameter exists)
 */
// examples:
// =CSF(A1:A)
// =CSF(2:2; X5:Y10)
// =CSF(A1:3; G10:J30)
// =CSF(C:C; X:Y; 2)                        to use custom alignment
// =CSF(C:C; X:Y; 0)                        to remove alignment
// =INDEX(TRIM(CSF(A:A)))                   to remove alignment
// =CSF(B10:D30; {3\ "K"; 4\ "TK"})         for non-english sheets
// =CSF(E5, {2, "deci"; 3, "kilo"})         for english sheets
// =INDEX(IF(ISERR(A:A*1); A:A; CSF(A:A)))  to return non-numbers
// =INDEX(IF((ISERR(A:A*1))+(ISBLANK(A:A)), A:A, CSF(A:A*1)))  enforce mode
function CSF(
  range,
  database = [
    [3,   'K'  ], //Thousand
    [6,   'M'  ], //Million
    [9,   'B'  ], //Billion
    [12,  'T'  ], //Trillion
    [15,  'Qa' ], //Quadrillion
    [18,  'Qi' ], //Quintillion
    [21,  'Sx' ], //Sextillion
    [24,  'Sp' ], //Septillion
    [27,  'O'  ], //Octillion
    [30,  'N'  ], //Nonillion
    [33,  'D'  ], //Decillion
    [36,  'Ud' ], //Undecillion
    [39,  'Dd' ], //Duodecillion
    [42,  'Td' ], //Tredecillion
    [45,  'Qad'], //Quattuordecillion
    [48,  'Qid'], //Quindecillion
    [51,  'Sxd'], //Sexdecillion
    [54,  'Spd'], //Septendecillion
    [57,  'Od' ], //Octodecillion
    [60,  'Nd' ], //Novemdecillion
    [63,  'V'  ], //Vigintillion
    [66,  'Uv' ], //Unvigintillion
    [69,  'Dv' ], //Duovigintillion
    [72,  'Tv' ], //Trevigintillion
    [75,  'Qav'], //Quattuorvigintillion
    [78,  'Qiv'], //Quinvigintillion
    [81,  'Sxv'], //Sexvigintillion
    [84,  'Spv'], //Septenvigintillion
    [87,  'Ov' ], //Octovigintillion
    [90,  'Nv' ], //Novemvigintillion
    [93,  'Tr' ], //Trigintillion
    [96,  'Ut' ], //Untrigintillion
    [99,  'Dt' ], //Duotrigintillion
    [100, 'G'  ], //Googol
    [102, 'Tt' ], //Tretrigintillion or One Hundred Googol
  ],
  value = 3
) {
  if (
    database[database.length - 1] &&
    database[database.length - 1][0] !== 0
  ) {
    database = database.reverse();
    database.push([0, '']);
  }
  const addSuffix = num => {
    const pad3 = (str = '') => str.padEnd(value, ' ');
    const decim = 1              // round to decimal places
    const separ = 0              // separate number and suffix
    const anum = Math.abs(num);
    if (num === 0) 
     return '0' + ' ' + ' '.repeat(separ) + ' '.repeat(decim) + pad3();
    if (anum > 0 && anum < 1) 
     return String(num.toFixed(decim)) + ' '.repeat(separ) + pad3();
    for (const [exp, suffix] of database) {
      if (anum >= Math.pow(10, exp))
        return `${(num / Math.pow(10, exp)).toFixed(decim)
         }${' '.repeat(separ) + pad3(suffix)}`;
    }
  };
  return customFunctionRecurse_(
    range, CSF, addSuffix, database, value, true
  );
}
function customFunctionRecurse_(
  array, mainFunc, subFunc, ...extraArgToMainFunc
) {
  if (Array.isArray(array))
    return array.map(e => mainFunc(e, ...extraArgToMainFunc));
  else return subFunc(array);
}

sidenote 1: this script does not need to be authorized priorly to usage
sidenote 2: cell formatting needs to be set to Automatic or Number otherwise use enforce mode

---

---

---

extra:

• convert numbers into plain text strings/words
• convert array of numbers into plain text strings/words
• convert custom formatted numbers into numeric numbers/values
• convert text string datetime into duration value
• convert text string formatted numbers into duration
• convert your age into years-months-days

Wittol

Answer 2

• For almost all practical purposes we can use Intl compact format to achieve this functionality.

/**
 * Utility function needed to recurse 2D arrays
 */
function customFunctionRecurse_(
  array,
  mainFunc,
  subFunc,
  ...extraArgToMainFunc
) {
  if (Array.isArray(array))
    return array.map(e => mainFunc(e, ...extraArgToMainFunc));
  else return subFunc(array);
}


/**
 * Simple custom formating function using Intl
 * @see https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Global_Objects/Intl/NumberFormat/NumberFormat
 * @customfunction
 * @author TheMaster https://stackoverflow.com/users/8404453
 * @param {A1:D2} numArr A 2D array
 * @returns {String[][]}Compact Intl formatted 2D array
 */
function format(numArr) {
  const cIntl = new Intl.NumberFormat('en-GB', {
    notation: 'compact',
    compactDisplay: 'short',
  });
  return customFunctionRecurse_(numArr, format, (num) => cIntl.format(num));
}

• But for extreme ends or custom formatting, We need to use a custom script:

/**
 * Formats various numbers according to the provided format
 * @customfunction
 * @author TheMaster https://stackoverflow.com/users/8404453
 * @param {A1:D2} numArr A 2D array
 * @param {X1:Y2} formatArr [optional] A format 2D real/virtual array
 *     with base 10 power -> suffix mapping
 *     eg: X1:3 Y1:K represents numbers > 10^3 should have a K suffix
 * @param {3} suffixPadLength [optional] Fix suffix to fixed length by padding spaces
 * @returns {String[][]} Formatted 2D array
 */
function customFormat(
  numArr,
  formatArr = [
    /**This formatArr array is provided by
     * by player0 https://stackoverflow.com/users/5632629/
     * @see https://stackoverflow.com/questions/69773823#comment123503634_69809210
     */
    [3, 'K'], //Thousand
    [6, 'M'], //Million
    [9, 'B'], //Billion
    [12, 'T'], //Trillion
    [15, 'Qa'], //Quadrillion
    [18, 'Qi'], //Quintillion
    [21, 'Sx'], //Sextillion
    [24, 'Sp'], //Septillion
    [27, 'O'], //Octillion
    [30, 'N'], //Nonillion
    [33, 'D'], //Decillion
    [36, 'Ud'], //Undecillion
    [39, 'Dd'], //Duodecillion
    [42, 'Td'], //Tredecillion
    [45, 'Qad'], //Quattuordecillion
    [48, 'Qid'], //Quindecillion
    [51, 'Sxd'], //Sexdecillion
    [54, 'Spd'], //Septendecillion
    [57, 'Od'], //Octodecillion
    [60, 'Nd'], //Novemdecillion
    [63, 'V'], //Vigintillion
    [66, 'Uv'], //Unvigintillion
    [69, 'Dv'], //Duovigintillion
    [72, 'Tv'], //Trevigintillion
    [75, 'Qav'], //Quattuorvigintillion
    [78, 'Qiv'], //Quinvigintillion
    [81, 'Sxv'], //Sexvigintillion
    [84, 'Spv'], //Septenvigintillion
    [87, 'Ov'], //Octovigintillion
    [90, 'Nv'], //Novemvigintillion
    [93, 'Tr'], //Trigintillion
    [96, 'Ut'], //Untrigintillion
    [99, 'Dt'], //Duotrigintillion
    [102, 'G'], //Googol
  ],
  suffixPadLength = 3,
  inRecursion = false
) {
  if (!inRecursion) {
    formatArr = formatArr.reverse();
    formatArr.push([0, '']);
  }
  const addSuffix = num => {
    const pad3 = (str = '') => str.padEnd(suffixPadLength, ' '); //pad 3 spaces if necessary
    const anum = Math.abs(num);
    if (num === 0) return '0' + pad3();
    if (anum > 0 && anum < 1) return String(num.toFixed(2)) + pad3();
    for (const [exp, suffix] of formatArr) {
      if (anum >= Math.pow(10, exp))
        return `${(num / Math.pow(10, exp)).toFixed(2)}${pad3(suffix)}`;
    }
  };
  return customFunctionRecurse_(
    numArr,
    customFormat,
    addSuffix,
    formatArr,
    suffixPadLength,
    true
  );
}

• Usage:

  =CUSTOMFORMAT(A1:A5,{{3,"k"};{10,"G"}})
  

  Tells custom function to use k for numbers>10^3 and G for 10^10

• Illustration:

/*<ignore>*/console.config({maximize:true,timeStamps:false,autoScroll:false});/*</ignore>*/
/**
 * Utility function needed to map 2D arrays
 */
function customFunctionRecurse_(array, mainFunc, subFunc, extraArgToMainFunc) {
  if (Array.isArray(array))
return array.map((e) => mainFunc(e, extraArgToMainFunc));
  else return subFunc(array);
}

/**
 * Simple custom formating function using Intl
 * @see https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Global_Objects/Intl/NumberFormat/NumberFormat
 * @customfunction
 * @param {A1:D2} A 2D array
 * @returns {String[][]}Compact Intl formatted 2D array
 */
function format(numArr) {
  const cIntl = new Intl.NumberFormat('en-GB', {
notation: 'compact',
compactDisplay: 'short',
  });
  return customFunctionRecurse_(numArr, format, (num) => cIntl.format(num));
}

/**
 * Formats various numbers according to the provided format
 * @customfunction
 * @param {A1:D2} A 2D array
 * @param {X1:Y2=} [optional] A format 2D real/virtual array
 *     with base 10 power -> suffix mapping
 *     eg: X1:3 Y1:K represents numbers > 10^3 should have a K suffix
 * @returns {String[][]} Formatted 2D array
 */
function customFormat(
  numArr,
  formatArr = [
//sample byte => kb formatting
[3, 'kb'],
[6, 'mb'],
[9, 'gb'],
[12, 'tb'],
  ]
) {
  //console.log({ numArr, formatArr });
  if (
formatArr[formatArr.length - 1] &&
formatArr[formatArr.length - 1][0] !== 0
  ) {
formatArr = formatArr.reverse();
formatArr.push([0, '']);
  }
  const addSuffix = (num) => {
const anum = Math.abs(num);
if (num === 0) return '0.00';
if (anum > 0 && anum < 1) return String(num.toFixed(2));
for (const [exp, suffix] of formatArr) {
  if (anum >= Math.pow(10, exp))
    return `${(num / Math.pow(10, exp)).toFixed(2)}${suffix}`;
}
  };
  return customFunctionRecurse_(numArr, customFormat, addSuffix, formatArr);
}
console.log(
  customFormat([
[
  0,
  1000,
  153,
  12883255,
  235688235123,
  88555552233355888,
  -86555,
  0.8523588055,
  Math.pow(10, 15),
],
  ])
);

<!-- https://meta.stackoverflow.com/a/375985/ -->    <script src="https://gh-canon.github.io/stack-snippet-console/console.min.js"></script>

Othelia

@Wittol [0, ' '], is added automatically. So remove it from formatArr and modify line 46 formatArr.push([0, '']); instead. formatArr should start from 1. That's the reason for all red errors in your screenshot. – Othelia

@Wittol Line51 is for fractions 0 >x <1. Spaces can be added like String(num.toFixed(2))+ ' '; – Othelia

@Wittol No repro. Can't reproduce your screenshot. Edited my current code in. Kindly double check. I don't get 0.00 or numbers. Also check your formatting in sheet and make sure it is string or automatic. Clear all your scripts as well and repaste only this code. – Othelia

with that, it works as promised – Wittol

Answer 3

sometimes when we deal with nuclear physics we need to shorten the time so this is how:

=INDEX(IF(ISBLANK(A2:A),,TEXT(TRUNC(TEXT(IF(A2:A*1<1, 
 TEXT(A2:A*1, "0."&REPT(0, 30))*VLOOKUP(A2:A*1, {SORT({0; 1/10^SEQUENCE(9, 1, 3, 3)}), 
 {0; 10^SORT(SEQUENCE(9, 1, 3, 3), 1,)}}, 2, 1), TEXT(A2:A*1, REPT(0, 30))/
 VLOOKUP(A2:A*1, TEXT({1; 60; 3600; 86400; 31536000; 31536000*10^SEQUENCE(8, 1, 3, 3)}, 
 {"#", "#"})*1, 2, 1)), "0."&REPT("0", 30)), 3), "0.000")&" "&
 VLOOKUP(A2:A*1, {SORT({0; 1/10^SEQUENCE(9, 1, 3, 3); 
 {1; 60; 3600; 86400; 31536000}; 31536000*10^SEQUENCE(8, 1, 3, 3)}), FLATTEN(SPLIT(
 "s  ys zs as fs ps ns μs ms s m h d y ky My Gy Ty Py Ey Zy Yy", " ",,))}, 2, 1)))

it's a simple conversion from seconds into abbreviation utilizing the International System of Units where:

                   in seconds
____________________________________
ys = yoctosecond = 0.000000000000000000000001
zs = zeptosecond = 0.000000000000000000001
as = attosecond  = 0.000000000000000001
fs = femtosecond = 0.000000000000001
ps = pikosecond  = 0.000000000001
ns = nanosecond  = 0.000000001
μs = microsecond = 0.000001
ms = millisecond = 0.001
s  = second      = 1
m  = minute      = 60
h  = hour        = 3600
d  = day         = 86400
y  = year        = 31536000
ky = kiloyear    = 31536000000
My = megayear    = 31536000000000
Gy = gigayear    = 31536000000000000
Ty = terayear    = 31536000000000000000
Py = petayear    = 31536000000000000000000
Ey = exayear     = 31536000000000000000000000
Zy = zettayear   = 31536000000000000000000000000
Yy = yottayear   = 31536000000000000000000000000000

Wittol