How do I change the display of negative values to parentheses?

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accounts.payable - 27 Oct 2006 18:16 GMT

I have just started using Micrososft Office 2003 for Excel and noticed that
the options for showing negative values is only a negative sign. I was
wondering if there is a way to change this to parentheses as I was used to
this idea in the older version.

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Gary Brown - 27 Oct 2006 18:52 GMT

The comma (,) symbol should be on your Formatting Toolbar at the top of the
screen. That will make -10 look like (10.00).
If it isn't there, you can put it back by...
1) Select 'Tools' from the top menu
2) 'Customize...'
3) 'Commands'
4) In the 'Categories' box, select 'Format'
5) In the 'Commands"' box, scroll down until you see ', Comma Style'
6) When you left-click on ', Comma Style' a plus sign will appear.
7) Continue to hold down the mouse button and drag the ', Comma Style' up to
your toolbar
8) Let go of the mouse button
9) Select 'Close'

The ', Comma Style' should now be available.

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Gary Brown
gary.DeleteThis2SendMeAnEmail.Brown@kinneson.com
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> I have just started using Micrososft Office 2003 for Excel and noticed that
> the options for showing negative values is only a negative sign. I was
> wondering if there is a way to change this to parentheses as I was used to
> this idea in the older version.

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Gord Dibben - 27 Oct 2006 22:25 GMT

If negative parentheses are not available in the Number>Negative Numbers dialog.

This is a function of your Regional Settings in Windows OS.

Start>Settings>Control Panel>Regional and Language Settings>Regional
Options>Customize>Currency>Negative Currency Format. Click on drop-down arrow
and select the ($1.1)

Note: this is under the "Currency" tab in Regional Options. Changing under
the "Numbers" tab only does not do the trick.

Apply and OK>Apply your way out.

Gord Dibben Excel MVP

>I have just started using Micrososft Office 2003 for Excel and noticed that
>the options for showing negative values is only a negative sign. I was
>wondering if there is a way to change this to parentheses as I was used to
>this idea in the older version.

Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP

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Dickson Nshindano - 10 Dec 2007 11:25 GMT

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Dickson

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Bernard Liengme - 10 Dec 2007 14:30 GMT

Use a Custom Format of #,##0 ;(#,##0);- ;
See also
The negative number inside parenthesis format is not available in Excel for
numbers or for currency http://support.microsoft.com/kb/832285

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Bernard V Liengme
Microsoft Excel MVP
www.stfx.ca/people/bliengme
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>> I have just started using Micrososft Office 2003 for Excel and noticed
>> that
>> the options for showing negative values is only a negative sign. I was
>> wondering if there is a way to change this to parentheses as I was used
>> to
>> this idea in the older version.

Reply to this Message

Gord Dibben - 10 Dec 2007 17:28 GMT

If negative brackets are not available in the Number>Negative Numbers dialog.

This is a function of your Regional Settings in Windows OS.

Start>Settings>Control Panel>Regional and Language Settings>Regional
Options>Customize>Currency>Negative Currency Format. Click on drop-down arrow
and select the ($1.1)

Note: this is under the "Currency" tab in Regional Options. Changing under
the "Numbers" tab only does not do the trick.

Apply and OK>Apply your way out.

Gord Dibben Excel MVP

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Dickson Nshindano - 10 Dec 2007 11:26 GMT

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Dickson

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