How to handle a minus sign "-" as text not as part of a formula?
 

When I enter something into a cell beginning with a minus sign "-" then the content
is automatically interpreted as a formula.

How can I prevent this and let Excel treat the cell content (only for this cell) as text?

Claudia

Answer: How to handle a minus sign "-" as text not as part of a formula?
 

Hi Claudia,

I understand your frustration with Excel automatically interpreting a cell content beginning with a minus sign as a formula. Fortunately, there is a simple solution to this problem.

To prevent Excel from treating the cell content as a formula, you can add an apostrophe (') before the minus sign. This tells Excel to treat the content as text.

For example, if you want to enter as text, you would enter (without the quotes) into the cell. The apostrophe will not be displayed in the cell, but Excel will treat the content as text.

Alternatively, you can format the cell as text before entering the content. To do this,

1. select the cell or range of cells,
2. right-click and select "Format Cells",
3. in the Format Cells dialog box, select "Text" under the "Category" section and click "OK".

Now, any content entered into the cell or range of cells will be treated as text.

How to handle a minus sign "-" as text not as part of a formula?
 

You can start your entry with an apostrophe: '-1234 qwer

or you could preformat the cell(s) as Text, then do the data entry.

Claudia d'Amato wrote:

When I enter something into a cell beginning with a minus sign "-" then the content
is automatically interpreted as a formula.

How can I prevent this and let Excel treat the cell content (only for this cell) as text?

Claudia

--

Dave Peterson

How to handle a minus sign "-" as text not as part of a formula?
 

Claudia -

You can precede the minus sign with a single quote ('). The single quote
won't show in the cell (it will show in the formula bar), and it tells Excel
this is text, not a number.
--
Daryl S


"Claudia d'Amato" wrote:

When I enter something into a cell beginning with a minus sign "-" then the content
is automatically interpreted as a formula.

How can I prevent this and let Excel treat the cell content (only for this cell) as text?

Claudia

.