I'm trying to create a summary sheet from 3 tabs of data. Want to add the
first two values and subtract the third. It's working, but sometimes my
first value is a negative value and when i subtract the 3rd positive value my
result is wrong. I.e., first value is -300, second value is null (no affect)
and third value is 19, (-300+0-19)which results i a negative -319 when what i
want is -281. Is there a way to handle this so i don't have to edit each
cell individually? Thanks in advance.

Why do you say the answer is wrong? If you want to add the first 2 values
and subtract the third, then that's the answer you've got.

If at the moment your formula is effectively =A+B-C, what do you want the
formula to be? If you want it to be =A+B+C, then you are adding the 3
values. Is that what you want?
--
David Biddulph

"Carol@Bell" wrote in message
...
I'm trying to create a summary sheet from 3 tabs of data. Want to add the
first two values and subtract the third. It's working, but sometimes my
first value is a negative value and when i subtract the 3rd positive value
my
result is wrong. I.e., first value is -300, second value is null (no
affect)
and third value is 19, (-300+0-19)which results i a negative -319 when
what i
want is -281. Is there a way to handle this so i don't have to edit each
cell individually? Thanks in advance.

Thanks for the reply. I hear ya...but...i'm dealing with debits & credits
but not necessarily consistently, so what i want is A + B - C, in some cases
my A is negative (not always) so if i change to A + B + C, when all are
positve i won't get the correct result. I would like to know if there is a
way to handle the positve/negative so i can copy my formula without worrying
and get the correct positve/negative result?




"David Biddulph" wrote:

Why do you say the answer is wrong? If you want to add the first 2 values
and subtract the third, then that's the answer you've got.

If at the moment your formula is effectively =A+B-C, what do you want the
formula to be? If you want it to be =A+B+C, then you are adding the 3
values. Is that what you want?
--
David Biddulph

"Carol@Bell" wrote in message
...
I'm trying to create a summary sheet from 3 tabs of data. Want to add the
first two values and subtract the third. It's working, but sometimes my
first value is a negative value and when i subtract the 3rd positive value
my
result is wrong. I.e., first value is -300, second value is null (no
affect)
and third value is 19, (-300+0-19)which results i a negative -319 when
what i
want is -281. Is there a way to handle this so i don't have to edit each
cell individually? Thanks in advance.

So in which situation do you want A + B + C, and in which situation do you
want A + B - C?

Are you saying that you want A + B - (C * SIGN (A)) ? Or perhaps A + B - (C
* SIGN (A + B)) ?

I don't like the part where you say "i'm dealing with debits & credits but
not necessarily consistently". If you can define a consistent set of rules
to say how you wish to deal with particular values, perhaps dependent on
various other values, then we can come up with a formula to implement those
consistent rules, but if you are not going to apply the rules consistently,
then an Excel formula won't do it for you. If you want to apply the sign
randomly by tossing a coin, then you could use =A + B - (C *
SIGN(RAND()-0.5)), but I'm not sure that you want to do it that way.
--
David Biddulph

"Carol@Bell" wrote in message
...
Thanks for the reply. I hear ya...but...i'm dealing with debits & credits
but not necessarily consistently, so what i want is A + B - C, in some
cases
my A is negative (not always) so if i change to A + B + C, when all are
positve i won't get the correct result. I would like to know if there is a
way to handle the positve/negative so i can copy my formula without
worrying
and get the correct positve/negative result?

"David Biddulph" wrote:

Why do you say the answer is wrong? If you want to add the first 2
values
and subtract the third, then that's the answer you've got.

If at the moment your formula is effectively =A+B-C, what do you want the
formula to be? If you want it to be =A+B+C, then you are adding the 3
values. Is that what you want?

"Carol@Bell" wrote in message
...
I'm trying to create a summary sheet from 3 tabs of data. Want to add
the
first two values and subtract the third. It's working, but sometimes
my
first value is a negative value and when i subtract the 3rd positive
value
my
result is wrong. I.e., first value is -300, second value is null (no
affect)
and third value is 19, (-300+0-19)which results i a negative -319 when
what i
want is -281. Is there a way to handle this so i don't have to edit
each
cell individually? Thanks in advance.