Online tutorials have been USELESS for this seemingly simple issue

[CarlWTF]

All I want to do is convert words to numbers in a dataset. For example, if I have a column that has variables labeled apples, oranges, and grapes, I want apples=1, oranges=2, and grapes=3.

Any help would be greatly appreciated, and if there are actually videos or tutorials that address this, please let me know!! I have yet to find anything.

[#2]

@CarlWTF 

SWITCH is one way to do it:

=SWITCH(A2:A9,"Apples",1,"Oranges",2,"Grapes",3)

[#3]

@CarlWTF 

In B2:

=XLOOKUP($A2,$A$1:$A1,$B$1:$B1,MAX($B$1:$B1)+1)

Fill down.

[#4]

Thank you!