Converting Month Names to Numbers in Excel

To convert a column of month names into their corresponding numbers in Microsoft Excel, you can use the MONTH function. Here are the steps to follow:

1. Assuming that your column of month names starts in cell A1, insert a new column next to it by right-clicking on the column header and selecting "Insert".
2. In the first cell of the new column (B1), enter the following formula:
   Formula:

   =MONTH(DATEVALUE("1-"&A1&"-2021")) 

3. Press Enter. The formula will convert the month name in cell A1 into a date value (1-January-2021), and then extract the month number using the MONTH function.
4. Copy the formula down the column by selecting cell B1, dragging the fill handle (the small square at the bottom-right corner of the cell) down to the last cell in the column.
5. The new column will now display the corresponding month numbers for each month name in the original column.

That's it! You now have a column of month numbers that you can use for further analysis or calculations.