Spreadsheet models tracking logistics, engineering specifications, scientific experiments, and international finance frequently encounter mixed measurement units. Manually researching conversion factors (such as multiplying by 0.453592 for pounds to kilograms or applying (°F - 32) * 5/9 for temperatures) clutters formula logic and introduces transcription errors.
Google Sheets provides a native, highly versatile function designed specifically for this purpose: CONVERT. The CONVERT function dynamically translates numeric measurements from one standard unit to another across dozens of physical, thermodynamic, temporal, and digital dimensions with mathematical precision.
Syntax and Parameters
The syntax for the CONVERT function is straightforward:
=CONVERT(value, start_unit, end_unit)value: The numeric value or cell reference containing the number you want to convert.start_unit: A text string specifying the current unit of measurement (enclosed in double quotes).end_unit: A text string specifying the desired target unit of measurement.
Both start_unit and end_unit are case-sensitive and must belong to the same physical category (e.g. converting mass to length will return a #N/A error).
Common Unit Conversion Categories and Codes
Below is a quick reference table of widely used unit abbreviations supported natively by Google Sheets:
| Category | Standard Units and Abbreviations |
|---|---|
| Weight / Mass | Grams ("g"), Kilograms ("kg"), Pounds ("lbm"), Ounces ("ozm"), Metric Tonnes ("ton") |
| Distance / Length | Metres ("m"), Kilometres ("km"), Miles ("mi"), Feet ("ft"), Inches ("in"), Yards ("yd") |
| Temperature | Celsius ("C"), Fahrenheit ("F"), Kelvin ("K") |
| Volume / Fluid | Litres ("l"), Millilitres ("ml"), Gallons ("gal"), Fluid Ounces ("oz"), Pints ("pt") |
| Time | Years ("yr"), Days ("day"), Hours ("hr"), Minutes ("mn"), Seconds ("sec") |
| Speed / Velocity | Metres/second ("m/s"), Miles/hour ("mph"), Knots ("kn") |
| Digital Information | Bits ("bit"), Bytes ("byte") with standard metric/binary prefixes |
Practical Conversion Examples
1. Temperature Conversions
Converting temperature between Celsius and Fahrenheit in Google Sheets:
# Convert 98.6 Fahrenheit to Celsius (Yields 37)
=CONVERT(98.6, "F", "C")
# Convert 25 Celsius to Fahrenheit (Yields 77)
=CONVERT(25, "C", "F")2. Weight and Mass in Logistics
When importing shipping manifests with weights listed in imperial pounds ("lbm") and calculating warehouse freight charges in kilograms ("kg"):
# Convert 150 lbs to kg
=CONVERT(A2, "lbm", "kg")3. Length and Distance Calculations
To convert international travel distances or runner splits between miles and kilometres:
# Convert 26.2 miles (Marathon) to kilometres (Yields 42.16)
=CONVERT(26.2, "mi", "km")
# Convert heights from inches to centimetres
=CONVERT(70, "in", "cm")Applying Metric Prefixes
For standard metric units (such as metres, grams, and litres), Google Sheets allows you to prepend standard SI unit prefixes directly to the unit symbol:
k= kilo (10^3)m= milli (10^-3)c= centi (10^-2)M= mega (10^6)G= giga (10^9)
For example, converting grams to milligrams or kilometres to centimetres:
=CONVERT(5.5, "g", "mg")
=CONVERT(2, "km", "cm")Combining CONVERT with ARRAYFORMULA
To convert an entire column of values dynamically without dragging formula handles down rows, wrap CONVERT inside ARRAYFORMULA:
=ARRAYFORMULA(IF(ISBLANK(A2:A), "", CONVERT(A2:A, "mi", "km")))This formula immediately processes every valid numerical value in column A, converting distances from miles to kilometres in real time.