---
schema_version: "1"
id: f746b091ff571aa75f52b858a9e87ee9b1b099bb4267e429ef5289606f8c75a3
title: "Text to Number Transformation: Convert the Column Type"
collection: admin
version: current
locale: en-us
portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/admin/current/en-us/analytics/264-0-0/bi_integrate_recipe_transformation_dimensiontomeasure.md
canonical_url: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=analytics.bi_integrate_recipe_transformation_dimensiontomeasure.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5
source_site: help.salesforce.com
content_type: documentation
content_hash: 3ddb5057bc3e98df423326141aab0dae2ead9509e477a34ecd5ed79ef243905f
description: When you load data into a dataset, CRM Analytics tags a number (measure) column as text (a dimension) if it contains unexpected strings or characters. To perform a calculation on the column, such as calculating the average, use the Text To Number transformation to change the Text column type to Number. You can perform calculations on number columns only.
products:
  - CRM Analytics
  - Cross Cloud
release: "264"
---
# Text to Number Transformation: Convert the Column Type

When you load data into a dataset, CRM Analytics tags a number (measure) column as text (a dimension) if it contains unexpected strings or characters. To perform a calculation on the column, such as calculating the average, use the Text To Number transformation to change the Text column type to Number. You can perform calculations on number columns only.

### Required Editions

## Text to Number Transformation: Convert the Column Type

<table class="slds-table slds-table_bordered slds-max-medium-table_stacked slds-m-bottom_small permission">
        <colgroup>
          <col style="width:50%">
          <col style="width:50%">
        </colgroup>
        <thead class="slds-text-title_caps ">
          <tr class="">
            <th scope="colgroup" class="slds-cell-wrap" colspan="2" style="text-align:center;vertical-align:top;" id="d133668e39">User Permissions
              Needed</th>
          </tr>
        </thead>
        <tbody>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="User Permissions Needed" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d133668e39 ">To manage and create a recipe:</td>

            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d133668e39 ">Edit CRM Analytics Dataflows OR Edit Dataset Recipes</td>

          </tr>
        </tbody>
      </table>

During the column type conversion, the Text to Number transformation rounds decimals to the nearest whole number. For example, 300.2939 becomes 300.

1. In the Transform node of a Data Prep recipe, select the text (dimension) column you want to convert to the Number (measure) column type.
2. In the Transform toolbar, select **Text to** | **Number**.
    
    ![The To Number modal showing options to specify how the converted column is saved and specify a new column name if a new column is used.](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-analytics-bi-264-0-0-production-enus/ec791473-f5b4-4f64-a656-9104f455d966/resources-global/analytics/images/bi_integrate_dim2mea_settings.png)
3. Under Show Results In, select whether the new values appear in a new column and whether to keep the original column.
4. If you elect to create a column, set the label under Column Label.
5. To change more column attributes, click the Column Attributes box, change them, and click **Apply**. ![The Column Attributes box showing the API Name, Output Type, Precision, and Scale for a text column converted to a number column.](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-analytics-bi-264-0-0-production-enus/ec791473-f5b4-4f64-a656-9104f455d966/resources-global/analytics/images/bi_integrate_dim2mea_moreSettings.png)
    
    Based on the output column’s datatype, you can set these attributes.
    
    <table class="slds-table slds-table_bordered slds-max-medium-table_stacked slds-m-bottom_small ">
            <colgroup>
              <col style="width:17.064846416382252%">
              <col style="width:82.93515358361775%">
            </colgroup>
            <thead class="slds-text-title_caps ">
              <tr class="">
                <th scope="col" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" id="d133668e100">Attribute</th>
                <th scope="col" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" id="d133668e102">Description</th>
              </tr>
            </thead>
            <tbody>
              <tr class="">
                <td data-label="Attribute" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d133668e100 ">API Name</td>
                <td data-label="Description" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d133668e102 ">
                  <p style="margin-bottom:0;">The API name of the column. The column API name can each be up to 255
                    characters. The API name must also be unique within the recipe.</p>
                </td>
              </tr>
              <tr class="">
                <td data-label="Attribute" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d133668e100 ">Precision</td>
                <td data-label="Description" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d133668e102 ">
                  <p style="margin-bottom:0;">The maximum number of digits in a numeric (measure) column. Includes all
                    numbers to the left and to the right of the decimal point (but excludes the
                    decimal point character). Enter an integer from 1 through 18, inclusive. If a
                    numeric value exceeds the specified precision, the value is set to 0 or null,
                    depending on whether null measure handling is enabled. For example, if
                    precision is set to 5 and null measure handling is enabled, the numeric value
                    123456.78 is replaced with null.</p>
                </td>
              </tr>
              <tr class="">
                <td data-label="Attribute" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d133668e100 ">Scale</td>
                <td data-label="Description" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d133668e102 ">
                  <p style="margin-bottom:0;">The number of digits to the right of the decimal point in a numeric column.
                    Enter an integer from 0 through 17, inclusive. The scale must be less than the
                    precision. For example, if the numeric value is 123456.789 and you set the
                    scale to 2, the number appears as 123456.78. </p>
                </td>
              </tr>
              <tr class="">
                <td data-label="Attribute" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d133668e100 ">Length</td>
                <td data-label="Description" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d133668e102 ">
                  <p style="margin-bottom:0;">The maximum number of characters in a text (dimension) column. Enter an
                    integer from 1 through 32000, inclusive. The default length is 255
                    characters.</p>
                </td>
              </tr>
              <tr class="">
                <td data-label="Attribute" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d133668e100 ">Date Format</td>
                <td data-label="Description" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d133668e102 ">
                  <p style="margin-bottom:0;">The date format of a date column.</p>
                </td>
              </tr>
            </tbody>
          </table>
    
    For more guidelines, see the “Field Name Restrictions” section in [this help topic](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/atlas.en-us.bi_dev_guide_ext_data_format.meta/bi_dev_guide_ext_data_format/bi_ext_data_schema_reference.htm).
6. Click **Apply** to add the transformation to the Transform node. The Preview tab shows the number column.
7. To view the Graph area, click the Collapse button (![Collapse button](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-analytics-bi-264-0-0-production-enus/ec791473-f5b4-4f64-a656-9104f455d966/resources-global/analytics/images/bi_button_collapse.png)).
8. Save the recipe.

Run the recipe to convert the column type to number.