Hmm...
My default currency is a British pound symbol. With Accounting numberformat
display is as expected. But if I precede with the symbol the format changes
to Currency (symbol placed just left of first digit). I suppose this is
Excel's automatic format kicking in, like entering dates. Though
inappropriate to change if already set to accounting (user might easily
enter the symbol first).

I then preceded numbers with $ and replicated exactly your scenario, format
subsequently changes permanently to General. Strange. I kept messing around
repeating same. Then not sure what I did but all of a sudden could no longer
replicate, ie $12.56 left justified, followed by 12.56 reverts to
Accounting. Now I can no longer replicate even in new sessions of different
XL versions, even more strange! (though preceding with my pound sign still
changes format permanently to Currency).

Regards,
Peter T

wrote in message
ps.com...
Hi,
I formated a cell to accounting with $ symbol. If I enter number it
displayes correctly. If I enter number with $ sign then the format
changes to General. Does anybody knows how to prevent this?

i.e.
If I enter "56.89" in the cell it displays as "$ 56.89".
If I enter "$56.89" in the cell it displays as "$56.89 " and cell
format changes to "General".

TIA