But I bet you wrote many formulas like:
+a1+b1

There are lots of old(!) Lotus 123 users who would do:
=+a1+b1
thinking that they need both.

It wasn't required in 123 and it's not required in xl.

FSt1 wrote:

hi
not to seem argumentative, but me and lotus go back to pre-windows days and
i don't remember ever having to put plus signs in front of numbers in
formulas.
i had to put minus signs to denote negative numbers but you have to do that
in excel also.

regards
FSt1

"Max" wrote:

The "+" is extraneous. Harmless, but not necessary.
Believe it's just a legacy habit by ex-Lotus users.
--
Max
Singapore
http://savefile.com/projects/236895
xdemechanik
---
"Cooz" wrote:
Hi everyone,

Someone wrote this function in a workbook that I am asked to describe:
=IF(+I4991="","",+I4991)

Can anyone explain why it should contain these + characters? What is the
difference compared to: =IF(I4991="","",I4991)?

Thank you,
Cooz

--

Dave Peterson