If you often find yourself needing to convert currencies, you’re probably familiar with Google’s quick tool in its search engine. Just type in the currency conversion you need in the Google search bar, and a popup window will immediately display the conversion and solution.
However, currency conversions can be tricky because they constantly change. Country currencies fluctuate with inflation, so the value today may not be the same tomorrow. Keeping up with this manually can be challenging.
Converting Currencies in Google Sheets
It’s no surprise that Google has imported its handy currency conversion feature into Google Sheets. Now, you can use a formula to convert currencies and find exchange rates with the most up-to-date information.
To do this, you will need to follow a simple formula.
Google Finance Formula for Currency Exchange Rates
In a cell of your choice in Google Sheets, use this formula:
=GOOGLEFINANCE("CURRENCY:<source_currency_symbol><target_currency_symbol>")To better understand how to use this formula, let’s break it down into sections as we did earlier.
By using the phrase =GOOGLEFINANCE, you’re telling Google Sheets that you will be using one of its financial formulas. The parentheses on either side of the rest of the formula indicate to Google what you want to use the financial formula on.
The phrase <source_currency_symbol> represents the currency you want to start with. Replace this section with the three-letter code assigned to the currency. For example, the United States currency uses the code “USD”.
Without any separation, replace <target_currency_symbol> with the three-letter code assigned to the desired currency. Then, press Enter.
As an example, if you want to convert US dollars to British pounds (GBP), you would use this formula:
=GOOGLEFINANCE("USDGBP")Instead of the formula you typed, Google will enter the current conversion exchange rate for those currencies.
If you have a list of currency conversions, you can apply the formula by referencing cells rather than typing them out. For example, you could write:
=GOOGLEFINANCE("CURRENCY:"&A2&B2)This formula will retrieve the data you entered in cells A2 and B2, such as “USD” and “GBP”.
As a result, Google will replace your formula with the exchange rate between those two currencies.
Google Finance Formula for Currency Conversion
Sometimes, instead of just importing currency exchange rates, you want Google to automatically convert currencies for you. The previous formula will only show you the exchange rate, so you’ll need to use a different formula to convert directly.
If you have a list of amounts in a currency that you want to convert, you can use this formula:
=GOOGLEFINANCE("CURRENCY:<source_currency_symbol><target_currency_symbol>")*<source_cell>In other words, you enter the three-letter symbol for the original currency and immediately follow it with the three-letter symbol for the target currency, as before. However, you append it with the name of the cell that contains the original amount.
For example, if you have $500 in USD in cell A2 and want to convert it to GBP, you would use this formula:
=GOOGLEFINANCE("CURRENCY:USDGBP")*A2In response, Google Sheets will replace your formula with the conversion of $500 USD to British pounds.
If you want to convert an entire list of currencies, you can copy and paste this formula by double-clicking on the fill handle of that cell. This will apply the formula to the rest of the column.
Now that you know how to convert currencies in Google Sheets, you can save time and effort by using these handy formulas. With the most up-to-date information, you can perform currency conversions quickly and easily.
For more information and tips on Google Sheets and other useful tools, visit Crawlan.com.
