Negative number formatting

[kdeans]

I user recently asked how they could have an excel worksheet display negative numbers with brackets. I went to see them to show them where the format numbers selection was. Their computer did not have an option for brackets. We did format a custom setting, but I would like to know why this was not available under format number. Of the 150 or so workstations that I look after, some have this option under farmat number and some do not. They were all installed from the same master Office disk. The version of Windows operating system does not seem to have a bearing. The default Windows negative number display does not seem to matter. Does anyone have any ideas?

 

[Hasit]

The main reason is likely to be the system setting. Take a look at the following:

START->SETTINGS->CONTROL PANEL->REGIONAL SETTINGS

nder the Numbers tab, take a look at how the negative numbers should be represented.

Make sure they are the same as those on the machine where you can set negative numbers with brackets representation.

 

[kdeans]

As I mention above, the default windows setting has no correlation as to whether a brackets setting is available when you look under the excel format, cells, number heading. I can see no pattern as to why some have it available and some don't. I formatted a spreadsheet with this setting on a machine that had it available and saved and opened it on one that did not have it available. When I checked the format for that cell, it came up as a custom setting. It's not a big deal; just a mild annoyance and a perplexing question.

 

[Hasit]

kdeans, sorry I missed your last line of the top entry, so didn't see the windows setting piece. I am out of ideas, but good luck!