Try this.

Select the range of cells in question
Goto the menu DataText to Columns
Click Next twice
Click Advanced
Make sure Trailing minus for negative numbers is checked
OK
Finish

--
Biff
Microsoft Excel MVP


"via135" wrote in message
...
hi

while importing a txt file into xl there is one column which is in txt
format having figures with trailing minus (ex: 100-, 150-,100000-).
how can i change them into real numbers for arithmetical
operations??? added to the head ache is that the column is aligned
horizontally centred!!!

any hlp pl?!

-via135