Inserting an Asterisk as a symbol

[Guest]

I'm trying to insert an asterisk beside a salary figure in a cell but when I
type the asterisk beside the number, this affects the formula as I have
referenced the cell in a formula. Excel doesn't appear to have the Insert
Symbol function like Word does.

 

[crispbd]

Try this:

= "*" & <formula here>

example:

Cell A1 contains: 25

Cell B1 contains: = "*" & A1 * 3

Cell B1's Formula outputs: *7

 

[Guest]

doesn't work. Did it work for you?? Keeps saying I have an error and the
suggestion is a single quote, which doesn't work either.

 

[Gord Dibben]

mamma

Works for me in Excel 2002

Gord Dibben Excel MVP

 

[Guest]

sorry - should have clarified I'm in 2000.

 

[Gord Dibben]

Version shouldn't make a difference.

This number with the asterisk is to be used for further calculations, right?

The ="*" & A1*3 will return *75 but be text.

Better to use a Custom Format

Format>Cells>Number>Custom

"*"###0.00

Now the number will remain as a number, not text.

Gord

 

[Dave Peterson]

What formula did you try and what happened?

sorry - should have clarified I'm in 2000.

 

[David McRitchie]

You can do this with normal cell formatting:

the following places a floating $ sign and an asterisk fill
_(**$#,##0.00_);[Red]_(**$(#,##0.00);_(**$0.00_);_(@_)

the following would place a floating $
$#,##0.00_);[Red]$(#,##0.00);$0.00_);_(@_)

the following would place a floating * sign (why an asterisk ?)
"*"#,##0.00_);[Red]"*"(#,##0.00);*0.00_);_(@_)

More examples in http://www.mvps.org/dmcritchie/excel/formula.htm

HTH,
David McRitchie, Microsoft MVP - Excel [site changed Nov. 2001]
My Excel Pages: http://www.mvps.org/dmcritchie/excel/excel.htm
Search Page: http://www.mvps.org/dmcritchie/excel/search.htm