I want my negative numbers to appear in parentheses, rather than with minus
signs. I thought I knew how to do this - go into Format Number and select
the parenthesis option from the negative numbers box. But when I try it, I
don't have a parenthesis option, just minus signs, or red. Any ideas?

Thanks.

One way:

Format/Cells/Number/Custom 0.00_);(0.00);0_);@

In article ,
Sue C wrote:

I want my negative numbers to appear in parentheses, rather than with minus
signs. I thought I knew how to do this - go into Format Number and select
the parenthesis option from the negative numbers box. But when I try it, I
don't have a parenthesis option, just minus signs, or red. Any ideas?

Thanks.

Sue,

Use the custom format

#,##0.00;(##0.00)

As an extra you could use

#,##0.00;[Red](##0.00)

and get the numbers in red also.

Mike

"Sue C" wrote:

I want my negative numbers to appear in parentheses, rather than with minus
signs. I thought I knew how to do this - go into Format Number and select
the parenthesis option from the negative numbers box. But when I try it, I
don't have a parenthesis option, just minus signs, or red. Any ideas?

Thanks.

Thanks, this is great, just one step further though ... they are actually
currency values, so I need the format to include a £ sign (worked that one
out myself), but need the £ sign lined up to the left of the cell, with the
numbers to the right, so that it is consistent with positive values further
down the worksheet. Any suggestions?



"Mike" wrote:

Sue,

Use the custom format

#,##0.00;(##0.00)

As an extra you could use

#,##0.00;[Red](##0.00)

and get the numbers in red also.

Mike

"Sue C" wrote:

I want my negative numbers to appear in parentheses, rather than with minus
signs. I thought I knew how to do this - go into Format Number and select
the parenthesis option from the negative numbers box. But when I try it, I
don't have a parenthesis option, just minus signs, or red. Any ideas?

Thanks.

Forgot to say ... I also want a comma separator for my thousands. Want want
want!



"Sue C" wrote:

Thanks, this is great, just one step further though ... they are actually
currency values, so I need the format to include a £ sign (worked that one
out myself), but need the £ sign lined up to the left of the cell, with the
numbers to the right, so that it is consistent with positive values further
down the worksheet. Any suggestions?



"Mike" wrote:

Sue,

Use the custom format

#,##0.00;(##0.00)

As an extra you could use

#,##0.00;[Red](##0.00)

and get the numbers in red also.

Mike

"Sue C" wrote:

I want my negative numbers to appear in parentheses, rather than with minus
signs. I thought I knew how to do this - go into Format Number and select
the parenthesis option from the negative numbers box. But when I try it, I
don't have a parenthesis option, just minus signs, or red. Any ideas?

Thanks.

Any suggestions?

Yes. Take a look at "About custom number formats" in Help.

There you will find you can use

£* #,##0.00_);£* (##0.00)

In article ,
Sue C wrote:

Thanks, this is great, just one step further though ... they are actually
currency values, so I need the format to include a £ sign (worked that one
out myself), but need the £ sign lined up to the left of the cell, with the
numbers to the right, so that it is consistent with positive values further
down the worksheet.

Use custom format
enter: #.00;[Red](#.00)

"Sue C" wrote:

I want my negative numbers to appear in parentheses, rather than with minus
signs. I thought I knew how to do this - go into Format Number and select
the parenthesis option from the negative numbers box. But when I try it, I
don't have a parenthesis option, just minus signs, or red. Any ideas?

Thanks.