Is there a way to automatically format phone numbers in Google Sheets to avoid formula parse errors?

Yes, you can use custom number formats. Select the column containing phone numbers, then go to 'Format' -> 'Number' -> 'Custom number format'. Enter a format like `(###) ###-####` or `##########` (for 10 digits). This won't automatically convert text to numbers, but it will help standardize the display and potentially prevent errors if you're manually entering data. You'll still likely need `VALUE()` for calculations.