Imported values can look numeric while remaining text, causing unexpected arithmetic and lookup behavior in Excel. The Ablebits guide discusses error-checking conversion, formulas, arithmetic methods, and Paste Special. A green indicator may help identify the problem, but it is not always present.

Illustrative image
Illustrative image.

Inspect the field's meaning before converting it. Amounts usually need numeric behavior, while account codes or postal identifiers may need their original text structure. Test a small set and verify calculations afterward. Do not treat every digit-only string as a quantity merely because Excel offers a conversion option.