How to convert Excel formula commas and semicolons

Identify the destination convention

In Excel for Windows, inspect the Windows regional List separator under Region, Additional settings and check Excel’s Use system separators setting. The decimal and thousands fields in Excel are not a dedicated formula-list-separator control. Avoid changing system-wide settings merely to paste one formula.

In Google Sheets, inspect the spreadsheet’s locale in File, Settings. Formula language is a separate consideration: verify a simple formula in the receiving app instead of assuming all web or mobile editions always use English function names.

Convert a copy and inspect every change

The example below changes argument and decimal punctuation while leaving the comma inside a string untouched. It assumes a destination using semicolons for arguments, decimal commas and English IF; adapt the function language separately if required.

Array constants and structured references have their own delimiter rules. Use the converter’s preview and keep a source copy. Do not perform an unrestricted comma-to-semicolon replacement across numbers, quoted strings and every nested syntax context.

Source convention:
=IF(A1>10.5, "Verified, OK", "Review")

Destination convention described above:
=IF(A1>10,5; "Verified, OK"; "Review")

Compare calculated results

Use a small test sheet with A1 = 11 and then A1 = 10. Both formula versions should return the same respective strings in their intended conventions. Test empty/error cells and representative arrays or table references if those occur in the real formula.

A syntax pass is not a calculation-equivalence test. A #NAME? result may involve an unknown function or named range, not just punctuation. Keep original formulas until the actual workbook calculates correctly, and review any global locale change for effects on CSV imports and other applications.

References

Use the linked specifications and product documentation to check behavior in your own environment.