The CONVERT function is one of the engineering functions. It is used to convert a number from one measurement system to another. For example, CONVERT can translate a table of distances in miles to a table of distances in kilometers.
The CONVERT function syntax is:
CONVERT(number, from_unit, to_unit)
where
number is the value to be converted,
from_unit is the original measurement unit. A text string enclosed in quotes. The possible values are listed in the table below.
to_unit is the measurement unit that the number should be converted to. A text string enclosed in quotes. The possible values are listed in the table below.
Note: the from_unit and to_unit must be compatible, i.e. they should belong to the same measurement type.
Weight and mass
Unit
Text value
Gram
"g"
Slug
"sg"
Pound mass (avoirdupois)
"lbm"
U (atomic mass unit)
"u"
Ounce mass (avoirdupois)
"ozm"
Grain
"grain"
U.S. (short) hundredweight
"cwt" or "shweight"
Imperial hundredweight
"uk_cwt" or "lcwt" ("hweight")
Stone
"stone"
Ton
"ton"
Imperial ton
"uk_ton" or "LTON" ("brton")
Distance
Unit
Text value
Meter
"m"
Statute mile
"mi"
Nautical mile
"Nmi"
Inch
"in"
Foot
"ft"
Yard
"yd"
Angstrom
"ang"
Ell
"ell"
Light-year
"ly"
Parsec
"parsec" or "pc"
Pica (1/72 inch)
"Picapt" or "Pica"
Pica (1/6 inch)
"pica"
U.S survey mile (statute mile)
"survey_mi"
Time
Unit
Text value
Year
"yr"
Day
"day" or "d"
Hour
"hr"
Minute
"mn" or "min"
Second
"sec" or "s"
Pressure
Unit
Text value
Pascal
"Pa" (or "p")
Atmosphere
"atm" (or "at")
mm of Mercury
"mmHg"
PSI
"psi"
Torr
"Torr"
Force
Unit
Text value
Newton
"N"
Dyne
"dyn" (or "dy")
Pound force
"lbf"
Pond
"pond"
Energy
Unit
Text value
Joule
"J"
Erg
"e"
Thermodynamic calorie
"c"
IT calorie
"cal"
Electron volt
"eV" (or "ev")
Horsepower-hour
"HPh" (or "hh")
Watt-hour
"Wh" (or "wh")
Foot-pound
"flb"
BTU
"BTU" (or "btu")
Power
Unit
Text value
Horsepower
"HP" (or "h")
Pferdestärke
"PS"
Watt
"W" (or "w")
Magnetism
Unit
Text value
Tesla
"T"
Gauss
"ga"
Temperature
Unit
Text value
Degree Celsius
"C" (or "cel")
Degree Fahrenheit
"F" (or "fah")
Kelvin
"K" (or "kel")
Degrees Rankine
"Rank"
Degrees Réaumur
"Reau"
Volume (or l iquid measure )
Unit
Text value
Teaspoon
"tsp"
Modern teaspoon
"tspm"
Tablespoon
"tbs"
Fluid ounce
"oz"
Cup
"cup"
U.S. pint
"pt" (or "us_pt")
U.K. pint
"uk_pt"
Quart
"qt"
Imperial quart (U.K.)
"uk_qt"
Gallon
"gal"
Imperial gallon (U.K.)
"uk_gal"
Liter
"l" or "L" ("lt")
Cubic angstrom
"ang3" or "ang^3"
U.S. oil barrel
"barrel"
U.S. bushel
"bushel"
Cubic feet
"ft3" or "ft^3"
Cubic inch
"in3" or "in^3"
Cubic light-year
"ly3" or "ly^3"
Cubic meter
"m3" or "m^3"
Cubic Mile
"mi3" or "mi^3"
Cubic yard
"yd3" or "yd^3"
Cubic nautical mile
"Nmi3" or "Nmi^3"
Cubic Pica
"Picapt3", "Picapt^3", "Pica3" or "Pica^3"
Gross Registered Ton
"GRT" ("regton")
Measurement ton (freight ton)
"MTON"
Area
Unit
Text value
International acre
"uk_acre"
U.S. survey/statute acre
"us_acre"
Square angstrom
"ang2" or "ang^2"
Are
"ar"
Square feet
"ft2" or "ft^2"
Hectare
"ha"
Square inches
"in2" or "in^2"
Square light-year
"ly2" or "ly^2"
Square meters
"m2" or "m^2"
Morgen
"Morgen"
Square miles
"mi2" or "mi^2"
Square nautical miles
"Nmi2" or "Nmi^2"
Square Pica
"Picapt2", "Pica2", "Pica^2" or "Picapt^2"
Square yards
"yd2" or "yd^2"
Information
Unit
Text value
Bit
"bit"
Byte
"byte"
Speed
Unit
Text value
Admiralty knot
"admkn"
Knot
"kn"
Meters per hour
"m/h" or "m/hr"
Meters per second
"m/s" or "m/sec"
Miles per hour
"mph"
It's also possible to use prefixes with the from_unit and to_unit values, e.g. if you add the "k" prefix before the "g" unit, you'll get the "kg" value that denotes kilograms.
Prefixes
Prefix
Multiplier
Text value
yotta
1E+24
"Y"
zetta
1E+21
"Z"
exa
1E+18
"E"
peta
1E+15
"P"
tera
1E+12
"T"
giga
1E+09
"G"
mega
1E+06
"M"
kilo
1E+03
"k"
hecto
1E+02
"h"
dekao
1E+01
"da" or "e"
deci
1E-01
"d"
centi
1E-02
"c"
milli
1E-03
"m"
micro
1E-06
"u"
nano
1E-09
"n"
pico
1E-12
"p"
femto
1E-15
"f"
atto
1E-18
"a"
zepto
1E-21
"z"
yocto
1E-24
"y"
Binary Prefixes
Prefix
Prefix value
Text value
yobi
2^80 = 1 208 925 819 614 629 174 706 176
"Yi"
zebi
2^70 = 1 180 591 620 717 411 303 424
"Zi"
exbi
2^60 = 1 152 921 504 606 846 976
"Ei"
pebi
2^50 = 1 125 899 906 842 624
"Pi"
tebi
2^40 = 1 099 511 627 776
"Ti"
gibi
2^30 = 1 073 741 824
"Gi"
mebi
2^20 = 1 048 576
"Mi"
kibi
2^10 = 1024
"ki"
To apply the CONVERT function,
select the cell where you wish to display the result,
click the Insert function icon situated at the top toolbar,
or right-click within a selected cell and select the Insert Function option from the menu,
or click the icon situated at the formula bar,
select the Engineering function group from the list,
click the CONVERT function,
enter the required arguments separating them by comma,
press the Enter button.
The result will be displayed in the selected cell.