Negative numbers turn positive automatically on data entry

When I try to enter a negative number into excel, the number turns positive
as soon as I enter it. I have tried deleting book1.xlt to remove any bogus
formatting but this problem appears to be some sort of default setting that I
do not know about.

After the number turns positive, what do you see in the formula bar for that
cell?

If it still shows negative there, then maybe it's just a formatting problem.

Format|cells|number tab|make it general.

If it really shows positive, then it sounds like you may have a macro that's
helping out.

Can you reopen your workbook with macros disabled and see what happens?

Jerri wrote:
>
> When I try to enter a negative number into excel, the number turns positive
> as soon as I enter it. I have tried deleting book1.xlt to remove any bogus
> formatting but this problem appears to be some sort of default setting that I
> do not know about.

--

Dave Peterson

Thanks for responding Dave !

+1 appears in the formula bar. Here is the sequence of events...

I open a new blank workbook.
I select cell A1
I hit the negative key -
I hit the number one 1
The number changes to a positive one +1
and then reads as 1
It is as if excel will not accept negative numbers or it is converting - to
positive as if i were using the abs function...but i am not. I use excel for
office 97 at work all day long and I have not seen this before. This is my
mother's computer and she is running Excel 2002. I tried holding down the
shift key when starting excel to prevent Macros from running but that did not
work. I have looked at conditional formatting, deleting all default templates
and the absolute function but none of these seem to be the problem. I may
just re-install Office to see if that does the trick. Please respond !

I tried
"Dave Peterson" wrote:

> After the number turns positive, what do you see in the formula bar for that
> cell?
>
> If it still shows negative there, then maybe it's just a formatting problem.
>
> Format|cells|number tab|make it general.
>
> If it really shows positive, then it sounds like you may have a macro that's
> helping out.
>
> Can you reopen your workbook with macros disabled and see what happens?
>
> Jerri wrote:
> >
> > When I try to enter a negative number into excel, the number turns positive
> > as soon as I enter it. I have tried deleting book1.xlt to remove any bogus
> > formatting but this problem appears to be some sort of default setting that I
> > do not know about.
>
> --
>
> Dave Peterson
>

Maybe it's a autocorrect entry.
tools|autocorrect options
look for - to see if it's replaced with anything/nothing

(or even look for -1)

===
If that's not it, take a look under your windows regional settings (under
control panel). Then Number tab.

Does everything look normal there?

Jerri wrote:
>
> Thanks for responding Dave !
>
> +1 appears in the formula bar. Here is the sequence of events...
>
> I open a new blank workbook.
> I select cell A1
> I hit the negative key -
> I hit the number one 1
> The number changes to a positive one +1
> and then reads as 1
> It is as if excel will not accept negative numbers or it is converting - to
> positive as if i were using the abs function...but i am not. I use excel for
> office 97 at work all day long and I have not seen this before. This is my
> mother's computer and she is running Excel 2002. I tried holding down the
> shift key when starting excel to prevent Macros from running but that did not
> work. I have looked at conditional formatting, deleting all default templates
> and the absolute function but none of these seem to be the problem. I may
> just re-install Office to see if that does the trick. Please respond !
>
> I tried
> "Dave Peterson" wrote:
>
> > After the number turns positive, what do you see in the formula bar for that
> > cell?
> >
> > If it still shows negative there, then maybe it's just a formatting problem.
> >
> > Format|cells|number tab|make it general.
> >
> > If it really shows positive, then it sounds like you may have a macro that's
> > helping out.
> >
> > Can you reopen your workbook with macros disabled and see what happens?
> >
> > Jerri wrote:
> > >
> > > When I try to enter a negative number into excel, the number turns positive
> > > as soon as I enter it. I have tried deleting book1.xlt to remove any bogus
> > > formatting but this problem appears to be some sort of default setting that I
> > > do not know about.
> >
> > --
> >
> > Dave Peterson
> >

--

Dave Peterson

DAVE PETERSON IS THE MAN !

Autocorrect turned out to be the culprit. I have never used it before but
boy, I sure know about it now. Thanks Dave !

"Dave Peterson" wrote:

> Maybe it's a autocorrect entry.
> tools|autocorrect options
> look for - to see if it's replaced with anything/nothing
>
> (or even look for -1)
>
> ===
> If that's not it, take a look under your windows regional settings (under
> control panel). Then Number tab.
>
> Does everything look normal there?
>
> Jerri wrote:
> >
> > Thanks for responding Dave !
> >
> > +1 appears in the formula bar. Here is the sequence of events...
> >
> > I open a new blank workbook.
> > I select cell A1
> > I hit the negative key -
> > I hit the number one 1
> > The number changes to a positive one +1
> > and then reads as 1
> > It is as if excel will not accept negative numbers or it is converting - to
> > positive as if i were using the abs function...but i am not. I use excel for
> > office 97 at work all day long and I have not seen this before. This is my
> > mother's computer and she is running Excel 2002. I tried holding down the
> > shift key when starting excel to prevent Macros from running but that did not
> > work. I have looked at conditional formatting, deleting all default templates
> > and the absolute function but none of these seem to be the problem. I may
> > just re-install Office to see if that does the trick. Please respond !
> >
> > I tried
> > "Dave Peterson" wrote:
> >
> > > After the number turns positive, what do you see in the formula bar for that
> > > cell?
> > >
> > > If it still shows negative there, then maybe it's just a formatting problem.
> > >
> > > Format|cells|number tab|make it general.
> > >
> > > If it really shows positive, then it sounds like you may have a macro that's
> > > helping out.
> > >
> > > Can you reopen your workbook with macros disabled and see what happens?
> > >
> > > Jerri wrote:
> > > >
> > > > When I try to enter a negative number into excel, the number turns positive
> > > > as soon as I enter it. I have tried deleting book1.xlt to remove any bogus
> > > > formatting but this problem appears to be some sort of default setting that I
> > > > do not know about.
> > >
> > > --
> > >
> > > Dave Peterson
> > >
>
> --
>
> Dave Peterson
>