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gsusser Author

Level 1

6 points

Parentheses for negative numbers in Excel 2011

I couldn't find an appropriate section for this question. Please forgive me if I posted it in the wrong place.

I've been using Excel for Mac 2011 since it came out. Up until I updated to Yosemite, formatting negative numbers with parentheses appeared in the drop down menu, i.e., right click to get format cells, click "number" tab on top, click "number" on left. There is a dialog as to how you want negative numbers formatted. Parentheses used to be an option but no more. I attached a screen shot. Help!

iMac, Mac OS X (10.7.3), 2.7GHz Quad, Core I5, 2x4GB

Posted on Oct 22, 2014 4:13 AM

65 replies

b1598

Level 1

4 points

Dec 22, 2014 7:46 AM in response to gsusser

I also have this problem--only since upgrading to Yosemite!

klampp

Level 1

8 points

Jan 17, 2015 12:56 PM in response to gsusser

I am having the same issue as well.

Jan 17, 2015 4:38 PM in response to gsusser

Same problem here since upgrading to Yosemite. I've left feedback on Apple's site. Note that this feature works fine in Numbers, so Apple will likely expect the applications to adapt to a changed API.

Thanks jmgathg for the workaround, and also note that Excel offers the most recently used custom codes in the list under Custom, so for most people it shouldn't be much of a hassle unless you forget to go look under Custom.

Jan 20, 2015 7:05 AM in response to gsusser

Same problem.

Jan 26, 2015 12:07 PM in response to Borntarun

Same problem. This is annoying.

Feb 3, 2015 7:36 PM in response to gsusser

Same problem as of 2/3/2015. I can't believe neither Apple nor Microsoft are willing to fix this over 3 months after the OS upgrade.

My work around is copying the bracket format from an old worksheet to the new worksheet. Kind of a hassle.

Feb 3, 2015 8:47 PM in response to JonPFSFromPhoenix

Same problem! Was hoping to find it's been fixed as I read through the thread. Sadly no.

Adding my name to the list. Hopefully this gets fixed soon.

tbirdvet

Level 6

14,795 points

Feb 4, 2015 8:21 AM in response to brianwpetersen

Anyone see any change with 10.10.2 OS?

Feb 5, 2015 2:04 PM in response to tbirdvet

I'm on 10.10.2 and have issue.

Feb 17, 2015 9:38 AM in response to gsusser

I have tried Jonathan's work-around to get excel to recognize negative numbers, but every time I use any of his solutions Excel flips me into 'currency' format. I am very sure you all have gotten them to work well, but I am new to macbook pro after about a decade long absence.

I never had to use parenthesis to distinguish negative numbers on macs in the distant pat, so this is all rather foreign to me.

lallard

Level 1

0 points

Feb 20, 2015 1:01 PM in response to gsusser

Same here

tbirdvet

Level 6

14,795 points

Feb 21, 2015 6:33 AM in response to chester15

Pick custom and use this formula: 0_);[red](0)

REA CPA

Level 1

0 points

Feb 21, 2015 10:26 AM in response to MCinPDX

Still a problem. EOY close and tax season in full swing. When will Mac get serious about the business users and market???

REA CPA

Level 1

0 points

Feb 21, 2015 10:49 AM in response to MCinPDX

This is still a problem. EOY close and tax season in full swing. When will Mac get serious about the business users and market???

Yes, the custom format work-around does fix it - just incredibly inconvenient to have to do for every sheet (tab) of every spreadsheet (file).

Other solution is to use Google Sheets - either in place of Excel or to create (start) the file, then download from Google drive in *.xlsx format - presto, conventional commas and negative parenthesis in Excel for Mac.

Gokaygs

Level 1

0 points

Feb 23, 2015 10:31 AM in response to REA CPA

Same problem! Yosemite blows; it didn't work with and also burned my time capsule, rejected to work with Samsund SSD and now complications with even Excel. No timely diligent support from Apple, this brand is on the downfall! I am not buying any more Mac products, this is it!

Parentheses for negative numbers in Excel 2011