QUICK KEY SUPERSCRIPT A NUMBER CODE

The next step is to find out what the ASCII code of this symbol is. Note that, if I wanted something like cm 3, the Superscript Three symbol is there as well. Figure 1 shows this dialog, with the Superscript Two symbol selected. But what we can do is learn the character code of the 2. Because the Format Cells dialog is modal, we cannot invoke the Insert Symbol dialog while adding the custom number format (so we cannot use Insert Symbol to add the superscripted two to the Format Cells dialog). To do this, we start, instead, with the Insert Symbol dialog. But a long-standing gripe I have with Excel is its inability to really work with rich text, and when you copy text while editing a cell, all formatting (such as bold, italics, or superscript) is lost. Your first thought might be: Type the m2 and then format it to be superscriptedВ as described above, copy it, and then paste it into the custom format section of the Format Cells dialog.

The problem, of course, is that we use the Format Cells dialog to create the custom format, and we also use the Format Cells dialog to add the superscript, and the dialog cannot be invoked on itself (i.e., we cannot format the 2 to be superscripted while entering it into the custom number format box in the Format Cells dialog). Or I have a blank cell, and when I enter a value (e.g., 3), then it is displayed with the custom format suffix (i.e., 3m 2). Say I have a formula, and whatever value the format provides, must be shown together with the m 2 suffix. But that is not what we are looking at here. I can type m 2 very (well, relatively!) easily in Excel-all I need to do is edit the cell, type вЂњm2вЂќ and then select the 2, and use the Format Cells dialog to make it superscript. Note, here, that I am talking specifically about custom number formatting. LetвЂ™s say I want to work with area or volume, and need to indicate that using custom number formatting (e.g., m 2, or cm 3). I will be alluding custom number formatting in a future post series as well, but here is a quick custom number formatting tip. One of the most under-appreciated features of Excel, I think, is ExcelвЂ™s custom number formatting.

Quick key superscript a number