0's print when accounting format chosen

[Cathleen]

We use the accounting format for many of our Excel
spreadsheets in order to have parentheses for negative
numbers and to get a dash (-) to appear rather than a 0.
Recently, when a cell's formula results in zero, it prints
an actual 0 when we want it to print a dash. Has anyone
found this to be a problem. What causes it and is there a
solution (other than overwriting the formula with a 0)?

 

[Niek Otten]

If the formula does show correctly if you overwrite it with a zero, then the
results that show 0 are not really zero. Excel keeps many decimals, (up to
15), even if it is asked to show only two, as in financial formats.
Tou can apply a ROUND to get exactly two decimals, or you can apply
Tools>Options>Calculation and check "Precision as displayed". I find this a
very useful setting for financial spreadsheets, but read HELP to understand
all the implications.

 

[Guest]

I question why when using the accounting format something with a value of .0000001 shouldnt get a dash instead of a zero? When dealing with accounting it should be formatted down to the penny while still keeping the decimal precision.

We shouldnt have to apply a round, if statement, or precision as displayed to a cell to get the dash either. There should be a patch to fix this. I am a Sr. Financial Analyst and this has always aggravated me.

Anyway back to the numbers,

Glen.