Adding Debits & Credits within One Column

[S Philpot]

I have a checkbook register in Excel. I have some columns that
contain both debit and credit items. I need to know how to tell Excel
to find the difference between those numbers. I do have one bit of
information...My credits are NOT entered as negative numbers. Instead
I have specially formatted them so that I may enter them as any other
number and then they automatically turn red and add parentheses. When
I use AutoSum Excel recognizes at least some of them as negative. For
example, one column contains the following numbers:

-100
+500
+400
+300
+175
-400
-175
-500
-100
+300
-100
-150
-150
-50
-50

Excel comes up with -350 as the answer but should be -50 in reality.

How do I make Excel calculate correctly?

Thanks...

Sue Ellen

 

[JE McGimpsey]

Hmmm... I get -100 in reality...

In any case, assuming that your AutoSum encompasses the correct range, I
suspect that some of your "numbers" are text. Try copying a blank cell,
selecting your numbers and choosing Edit/Paste Special, selecting the
Values and Add radio buttons. This will coerce any numbers entered as
text to be real numbers.

 

[Lady Layla]

If you format the cells prior to entry as Number, select the option with the red
negative and the () you wont have to worry --- the numbers should be entered as
negatives. If you dont want to have to put the - in for a negative have a debit
column, a credit column and a running balance column that takes the previous
balance, adds the debits, subtracts the credits to get the correct balance



: I have a checkbook register in Excel. I have some columns that
: contain both debit and credit items. I need to know how to tell Excel
: to find the difference between those numbers. I do have one bit of
: information...My credits are NOT entered as negative numbers. Instead
: I have specially formatted them so that I may enter them as any other
: number and then they automatically turn red and add parentheses. When
: I use AutoSum Excel recognizes at least some of them as negative. For
: example, one column contains the following numbers:
:
: -100
: +500
: +400
: +300
: +175
: -400
: -175
: -500
: -100
: +300
: -100
: -150
: -150
: -50
: -50
:
: Excel comes up with -350 as the answer but should be -50 in reality.
:
: How do I make Excel calculate correctly?
:
: Thanks...
:
: Sue Ellen