Can anyone provide a detailed explanation of what it means when a formula is
input into a cell with the addition sign immediately after the =.

Examples: =+a1, =+C:\Excel\[WB]Sheet1!A1, =+L187+(Q213), =+Sum(A1:A33)

I inherited several spreadsheets that I am revising that use this convention
and I can't seem to find any information on what it means other then a note
in Excel for Dummies stating this means you want to make the value
"explicitly positve"

Does anyone have more information on this. Thanks in advance for any help.