Converts a number from one measurement system to another. Supports conversions between distance, weight, temperature, volume, energy, pressure, force, and many other measurement units across different systems (metric, imperial, US customary).
Master the fundamentals of Excel CONVERT function
The CONVERT function is Excel's comprehensive unit conversion system that translates numeric values between different measurement units across multiple categories including distance, weight, temperature, volume, energy, pressure, force, power, magnetism, and more. It supports conversions between metric (SI), imperial, US customary, and other measurement systems. The function uses standardized unit codes to identify source and target units, enabling precise engineering calculations, international data standardization, and scientific computations.
Supports 11 major measurement categories: distance, weight/mass, time, temperature, volume, energy, power, force, pressure, magnetism, and light. Each category has multiple unit codes.
Uses internationally recognized unit abbreviations that are case-sensitive. Codes follow scientific notation standards (e.g., "m" for meter, "kg" for kilogram, "J" for joule).
Uses accurate conversion factors based on international standards. Temperature conversions use exact formulas (C to F: F = C × 9/5 + 32), while other units use precise conversion factors.
Returns #N/A error for incompatible unit pairs (e.g., trying to convert distance to weight), #VALUE! for invalid unit codes, and handles edge cases appropriately.
Supports compound units using mathematical notation like "^2" for squared (area) and "^3" for cubed (volume), and "/" for rates (e.g., "km/h" for speed).
Function-specific parameters
Function-specific return type
Convert measurements in engineering designs, blueprints, and technical specifications between metric and imperial systems
Standardize measurement units in scientific datasets for consistent analysis and reporting
Convert product specifications, shipping weights, and measurements for global commerce and trade
Convert temperature readings between Celsius, Fahrenheit, and Kelvin for weather, manufacturing, and laboratory applications
Convert energy units (joules, BTUs, calories) for power consumption analysis and efficiency calculations
Convert building dimensions, material weights, and areas between measurement systems for construction projects
Exact matching required
Returns numeric position
Handles missing text gracefully
=CONVERT(number, from_unit, to_unit)The numeric value you want to convert. Can be a number, cell reference, or formula that returns a number.
The unit code for the current measurement system. Must be a text string in quotes (e.g., "m" for meter, "kg" for kilogram, "C" for Celsius). Unit codes are case-sensitive.
The unit code for the target measurement system. Must be a text string in quotes matching the same category as from_unit (e.g., "ft" for feet, "lb" for pound, "F" for Fahrenheit).
The converted number in the target unit system
Description: Converts a number from one measurement unit to another compatible unit
Convert meters to feet for international measurements
Converts 100 meters to approximately 328.08 feet. Useful for converting metric distances to imperial measurements.
Using CONVERT function in VBA through WorksheetFunction
Sub CONVERTExample()
Dim result As Double
' Convert meters to feet
result = Application.WorksheetFunction.Convert(100, "m", "ft")
Range("A1").Value = result
MsgBox "100 meters = " & result & " feet"
End Sub
' Convert temperature
Sub ConvertTemperature()
Dim celsiusTemp As Double
Dim fahrenheitTemp As Double
celsiusTemp = Range("A1").Value
fahrenheitTemp = Application.WorksheetFunction.Convert(celsiusTemp, "C", "F")
Range("B1").Value = fahrenheitTemp
End Sub
' Convert multiple values
Sub ConvertRange()
Dim cell As Range
Dim convertedValue As Double
For Each cell In Range("A1:A10")
If IsNumeric(cell.Value) Then
convertedValue = Application.WorksheetFunction.Convert(cell.Value, "kg", "lbm")
cell.Offset(0, 1).Value = convertedValue
End If
Next cell
End Sub
' Error handling for CONVERT
Sub ConvertWithErrorHandling()
Dim originalValue As Double
Dim convertedValue As Variant
originalValue = Range("A1").Value
On Error Resume Next
convertedValue = Application.WorksheetFunction.Convert(originalValue, "m", "ft")
On Error GoTo 0
If IsNumeric(convertedValue) Then
Range("B1").Value = convertedValue
Else
Range("B1").Value = "Conversion Error"
End If
End SubConvert between metric and imperial distance units
Convert between Celsius, Fahrenheit, and Kelvin
Convert between kilograms, pounds, and ounces
Convert between liters, gallons, and cubic units
Convert between joules, BTUs, and calories
Convert between km/h, mph, and m/s
CONVERT returns #N/A error when trying to convert between incompatible unit categories
=CONVERT(100, "m", "kg")Solution: Ensure from_unit and to_unit are from the same category. You cannot convert distance to weight, temperature to volume, etc. Check that both units belong to the same measurement category (distance, weight, temperature, etc.).
CONVERT returns #VALUE! error for invalid or misspelled unit codes
=CONVERT(100, meter, feet)Solution: Unit codes are case-sensitive and must match Excel's exact codes. Common errors: "meter" instead of "m", "F" instead of "F" (correct), "lbs" instead of "lbm". Refer to Excel documentation for exact unit codes. Use quotes around unit codes.
CONVERT produces unexpected or incorrect conversion values
=CONVERT(100, "m", "ft")Solution: Verify unit codes are correct and from the same category. Check for typographical errors in unit codes. For temperature, ensure you're using "C", "F", or "K" (not "c", "f", or "k"). For compound units, use proper notation: "^2" for squared, "^3" for cubed, "/" for division.
Confusion about uppercase vs lowercase in unit codes
=CONVERT(100, "M", "FT")Solution: Most unit codes are lowercase (e.g., "m", "kg", "ft", "lbm"). Temperature codes use uppercase ("C", "F", "K"). Always use exact case as specified in Excel documentation. Test with a known conversion to verify codes.
Area or volume conversions with squared/cubed units failing
=CONVERT(100, "m2", "ft2")Solution: For compound units, use proper notation: "m^2" for square meters, "ft^3" for cubic feet, "km/h" for kilometers per hour. Use caret (^) for exponents, forward slash (/) for division. No spaces in compound unit codes.
Converts text representation of numbers in other bases to decimal
EngineeringConverts hexadecimal to decimal
EngineeringConverts binary to decimal
EngineeringConverts octal to decimal
EngineeringConverts complex number from one measurement system to another
Engineering