Don't use the Sum function in E5...
Use "=E4-E2" and the custom number format: #,##0.00;[Red]-#,##0.00
'---
Jim Cone
Portland, Oregon USA
http://www.mediafire.com/PrimitiveSoftware
(XL Companion add-in: compares, matches, counts, lists, finds, deletes...)




"StargateFan"
wrote in message
...
[Hallelujah! How many times did I wonder how we were going to survive
without MS ngs and no-one, no-one told me I could still access the ngs
through servers _other_ than the now defunct MS one <lol! Ngs via
newsreader are just so much easier, so really glad to be back here!]

I've been having difficulties this morning. First off, I have an
income in E2 of $2,029.12 and in E4 of $1,765.28. When subtracted
with formula in E5 of =SUM(E2-E4), I get $263.84, which numerically is
fine. However, since it's income, this $263.84 actually represents a
loss so it should be showing as a negative.

Then, in E6 formatted as percentage, I figured out that =(E4-E2)/E2
shows the difference in those amounts as a percentage, -13%, which is
perfect.

My question is how do I get output in E5 of this type (in red), which
actually combines both and also correctly shows as negative or
positive income gain/loss:

-$263.8 (-13% income loss/or gain as case may be)

Thanks so much. Really appreciate any help. :oD