Easy: Percentage vs decimal
Someone typed 5 into a % formatted cell (meaning “5%”) but Excel stores 5 → displays 500%. GST amounts explode. Use 0.05 (or type 5%).
% cell मध्ये 5 टाइप केले → 500% दिसते. GST उडते. 0.05 किंवा 5% टाइप करा.
% cell में 5 टाइप किया → 500% दिखता है। GST उड़ जाता है। 0.05 या 5% लिखें।
Why → What → How
Why: Percent format multiplies displayed value by 100. Typing 5 means 500%, not 5%.
What: Five items; broken rates show 500%, total GST 3200. Fixed 5% rates, total GST 32 (LibreOffice verified).
How:
- Open GST.
- Look at GST_rate — 500%.
- Replace with 0.05 (or type 5% with keyboard).
- Confirm total GST → 32.
Ravindra Bagale’s Tip
When a cell is already %, type 5% or 0.05 — never bare 5 unless you want 500%.
Ravindra Bagale’s Tip – मराठी
% cell मध्ये 5% किंवा 0.05 टाइप करा — फक्त 5 नाही.
Ravindra Bagale’s Tip – हिंदी
% cell में 5% या 0.05 लिखो — सिर्फ 5 नहीं।
Bugs explained (with mini examples)
Bug 1 — Bare 5 in % cell
Bug 2 — Nobody notices until invoice review
Practice tasks (12)
- Task 1. Read one GST_rate display.Hint: 500% broken.
- Task 2. What number is stored?Hint: 5.
- Task 3. Correct rate for 5%.Hint: 0.05.
- Task 4. Fix all rates.Hint: Fill.
- Task 5. Total GST target.Hint: 32.
- Task 6. Notebook GST at 5% on 200?Hint: 10.
- Task 7. Type 5% with keyboard in a % cell — what stores?Hint: 0.05.
- Task 8. Interview sentence.Hint: “Rate was 500% because of percent format.”
- Task 9. Change to 12% correctly.Hint: 0.12.
- Task 10. Does number format alone change the stored value when you only reformat?Hint: Careful — know current value.
- Task 11. Show formula bar vs display.Hint: Compare.
- Task 12. Bonus: data validation 0–1 for rates.Hint: Prevent 5.
In-browser formula check
Type the fixed formula you would put in the named cell. We check formula text — open the workbook for full recalculation.
Step-by-step solution (try first)
- Set C5:C9 to 0.05 with % format.
- Total GST 32. LO: broken 3200, fixed 32.
Quick quiz