How to remove single quote in front of numbers in a cell

[mikekaganski]

As described by @Lupp, the apostrophe is an indicator that a cell is formatted as numeric/date value, but the contents was textual at the moment of setting the format (which could be converted to a number). In this situation, Calc keeps the contents as text (because formatting of an existing value must not do data conversion), and indicates that by showing the apostrophe in edit box.

The proper tool co convert data in Calc is Data→Text to Columns. One selects (a part of) a column, and starts the tool:

The interface of the tool looks alike CSV import. In the tool, you select the proper type for each column; e.g.,for integers, Standard fits well; if your numbers contain decimal dots (not commas), the proper type is US English; for times, the proper type could be one of dates. Here you may also split texts to several columns using proper separators, and set each resulting column the proper type; or even convert numbers back to text.

The tool is explicitly designed to convert data (as opposed to format data), and I recommend using it wherever one needs such conversion, including “removing the leading apostrophe”, as in this case.

[r0berts]

Thank you very much, this is helpful - I did not know such tool existed - it works very well. First set column type and then use the tool on the relevant column. The tool name is a bit cryptic, but that’s fine.

[erAck]

Just adding the standard FAQ for this.

[Lupp]

Not every FAQ subject is settled on this level. In this case the text is very clear and helpful. Having known it 1 1/2 years ago, I surely had simply linked it in.

[erAck]

I only created it half a year ago, so nothing you missed

[robleyd]

Try this - first, get rid of the $ with Find and Replace. Then:

1. Select the column in which the digits are found in text format. Set the cell format in that column as “Number”.
2. Choose Edit - Find & Replace
3. In the Search for box, enter ^[0-9]
4. In the Replace with box, enter &
5. Check Regular expressions
6. Check Current selection only
7. Click Replace All

[mikeg]

This worked for me. It removed the leading ’

[_3rdi]

Working thanks.

[bass_gas]

“Search KEY not found”

[EarnestAl]

Make sure Regular expressions is ticked.

You can instead in LO 6 and above, select the column and click Data > Text to columns untick any separators and click OK.

Cheers, Al

[eeigor]

@ZLibreOffice

“Find and Replace” command doesn’t find the character.

It does. Re-evalute a value. Use regex, find all (.*), replace with &, which is the value itself.

[a6mathur]

I had a similar problem and here is how I solved it.
Problem : '31-Aug-2021 has to be converted to Date 31/08/2021.
Step1 : Insert a column next to the cell where transformation is to be done.
Step2: Format the new cell as Date by Ctrl + 1
Step3: Use Trunc() function. =Trunc(C1,1) here C1 is the cell where '31-Aug-2021 exists.
Step4: Copy and paste special as value.