Sounds like you are working with currency. You can change the options using
this procedure
Windows start button|control panel
regional and language options
regional options tab
click the customize button
currency tab
change the negative currency format to show ()'s.

You can always make a custom format. In my set up there is no foramt like
($123.24) with parentheses. Here are some sites I found with Google search
using "Excel 2007 number format"

http://www.microsoft.com/communities...&cr=&sloc=&p=1

http://www.msoffice-tutorial-trainin...ormatting.html

http://books.google.ca/books?id=9f7K... ult&resnum=6

best wishes
--
Bernard V Liengme
Microsoft Excel MVP
http://people.stfx.ca/bliengme
remove caps from email


"Nadine" wrote in message
...
Excel 2007 - display negative numbers with minus sign and parentheses

We go into format cells - select number - and there are only black or red
choices with or without a minus sign. Don't have any of the choices with
parentheses,

In excel 2003 have choices with parentheses in format cells - number

Is this feature gone in Excel 2007, search help and the help says - with
or
without paretheses, but when following instructions there are no options
for
parentheses are showing.

OS is Vista Enterprise