How to get excel to ignore math symbols

[3genav]

I am trying to make a chart that has symbols and their meanings, and one of the symbols is a minus sign and a plus sign.

What I am doing is making the sign, and doing lines beside them where I can write the meaning out, like this:

- ________________
+ ________________

Whenever I do this, the text in the cell always changes to: #NAME?

Is there any way I can get the text to just stay how I want it?
Thanks for the help

[shg]

Format the cells as Text beforehand.

[3genav]

Awesome, thanks a lot!

[shg]

You're welcome.