Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Excel 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Excel, click here: Creating a Plus/Minus Button.

Creating a Plus/Minus Button

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated August 19, 2023)
This tip applies to Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003


On some calculators there is a little button that can come in very handy: the plus/minus button. This button, when pressed, will switch whatever value is on the display between its positive and negative values. For instance, if the display shows the number 57, then pressing the button will change the display to -57. Pressing it again will switch the value back to 57.

If you would like a "button" that does this in Excel, you'll quickly find that there is none built into the program. You can quickly create one, however, by using a macro:

Sub PlusMinus1()
    Dim cell As Range

    For Each cell In Selection
        If Application.IsNumber(cell) Then
            cell.Value = cell.Value * -1
        End If
    Next cell
End Sub

Note that the macro simply steps through whatever range of cells you selected when the macro started. Each cell is checked to see if it contains a number. If it does, then the value of that number is multiplied by -1. The result is a switch in sign for the number.

One drawback to the macro is that if the cell contains a formula, that formula is converted to a value and then multiplied by the -1 value. You may not want to lose your formulas. In that case, you could rely on a more discriminating macro, one that checks to see if the cell contains a formula or not. If not, then it is simply multiplied by -1. If so, then the formula is adjusted so that the result is multiplied by -1.

Sub PlusMinus2()
    Dim cell As Range

    For Each cell In Selection
        If Left(cell.Formula, 1) = "=" Then
            Cell.Formula = cell.Formula & " * -1"
        Elseif Application.IsNumber(cell) Then
            cell.Value = cell.Value * -1
        End If
    Next cell
End Sub

You can assign either of these macros to a shortcut key or to a toolbar button to make it easy to use at any time.

Note:

If you would like to know how to use the macros described on this page (or on any other page on the ExcelTips sites), I've prepared a special page that includes helpful information. Click here to open that special page in a new browser tab.

ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (3256) applies to Microsoft Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. You can find a version of this tip for the ribbon interface of Excel (Excel 2007 and later) here: Creating a Plus/Minus Button.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. ...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Removing Conditional Formats, but Not the Effects

Conditional formatting is very powerful, but at some point you may want to make the formatting "unconditional." In other ...

Discover More

Turning Off the Check for Repeated Words

If your work involves the usage of repeated words, you may be interested in configuring Word so it doesn't flag those ...

Discover More

Returning a Worksheet Name

Need to know the name of the current worksheet? You can use the CELL function as the basis for finding this information ...

Discover More

Create Custom Apps with VBA! Discover how to extend the capabilities of Office 2013 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Access) with VBA programming, using it for writing macros, automating Office applications, and creating custom applications. Check out Mastering VBA for Office 2013 today!

More ExcelTips (menu)

Generating Unique Numbers for Worksheets

You may need to automatically generate unique numbers when you create new worksheets in a workbook. Here's a couple of ...

Discover More

Determining the Hour of the Day

Need to know the current hour of the day? You can derive the information in your macros by using the Hour function, as ...

Discover More

Creating Worksheets with a Macro

Using a macro to add worksheets to your workbook is easy. This tip provides two different methods you can use.

Discover More
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is five less than 6?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)


This Site

Got a version of Excel that uses the menu interface (Excel 97, Excel 2000, Excel 2002, or Excel 2003)? This site is for you! If you use a later version of Excel, visit our ExcelTips site focusing on the ribbon interface.

Newest Tips
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.