Actually, MS eliminated it in xl2002.

But there is an equal sign icon that you can add to your favorite toolbar.

Tools|Customize|Commands tab|Insert Category
(a little more than half way down the commands list.)

It's not quite the same, but it may be sufficient for you.

Patty wrote:

In the old Excel when you click into the formula bar it automatically puts an
= sign in there. In 2003 it some how disappeared. How do I get it to
automatically stick the = sign back in there so I don't have to type it each
time?

--

Dave Peterson