Cute trick I just discovered

  • Thread starter Thread starter Bob Umlas
  • Start date Start date
B

Bob Umlas

....and maybe you already know it, but some don't!
You have
123
234-
345
456-
4.2
1.9
30.2-
13
etc.
You want the numbers which END in the minus sign to BEGIN with the minus
sign.
The trick? Select the numbers, use Data/Text-to-Columns, click Finish!
Who knew?
Bob Umlas
Excel MVP
 
Bob

Only if Step 3>Advanced>Trailing minus for negative numbers is checked.

That setting is default but can be changed and Excel remembers the change so
next time it won't work.


Gord
 
I think that this was added in xl2002 or xl2003, too.

It's not available for real old versions.
 
...and maybe you already know it, but some don't!
You have
123
234-
345
456-
4.2
1.9
30.2-
13
etc.
You want the numbers which END in the minus sign to BEGIN with the minus
sign.
The trick? Select the numbers, use Data/Text-to-Columns, click Finish!
Who knew?
Bob Umlas
Excel MVP
Click to expand...

Extraordinary coincidence that a request for how to solve this problem
was posted in OpenOffice.org forum only today...
http://www.oooforum.org/forum/viewtopic.phtml?p=346639#346639
This trick also works in OOo Calc.
Thanks Bob.

Ken Johnson
 
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