How to Display Negative Numbers in Brackets in Excel?

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When working with financial reports or accounting spreadsheets in Microsoft Excel, it is often helpful to display negative numbers in brackets (parentheses) instead of showing them with a minus sign. This formatting style makes values easier to read, especially in financial statements, budgets, and business reports.

In this guide, you will learn step-by-step methods to format negative numbers with brackets, along with examples, custom formatting options, and advanced tips for professional reporting.

Why Display Negative Numbers in Brackets?

Accounting professionals and financial analysts often prefer brackets because they improve readability. Instead of scanning for tiny minus signs, users can quickly identify losses or expenses.

Here are the main reasons:

• Standard in accounting – Many financial reports follow the GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles) or IFRS format, which often uses parentheses for negative values.
• Better visual clarity – Brackets make it easier to distinguish between profits and losses.
• Consistent presentation – Brackets ensure numbers line up neatly without the minus symbol disrupting alignment.

Methods to Display Negative Numbers in Brackets in Excel

Excel offers multiple ways to change the appearance of negative values. Let’s go through the most commonly used methods.

1) Using the Number Format Dialog

This is the simplest way to apply bracket formatting without writing any formulas.

Steps:

1. Select the cells containing numbers.
2. Right-click and choose Format Cells.
3. In the Format Cells dialog, go to the Number tab.
4. Select Number or Currency from the list.
5. Under Negative Numbers, choose the option that displays values in brackets.
6. Click OK.

Excel will now show negative numbers in brackets automatically.

Example:

2) Applying Accounting Number Format

The Accounting format is widely used in financial modeling and statements. It automatically displays negative numbers in parentheses.

Steps:

1. Select the range of numbers.
2. Go to the Home tab.
3. In the Number group, select the drop-down list.
4. Choose Accounting.

This format also aligns the currency symbols and decimal places, making financial data cleaner.

3) Custom Number Formatting

For more control, you can use a custom number format.

Steps:

1. Select the cells to format.
2. Right-click and choose Format Cells.
3. Go to the Number tab → Custom.
4. Enter a format code. For example: #,##0;(#,##0)
   • Positive numbers display normally.
   • Negative numbers display inside brackets.

Variations:

• With decimals: #,##0.00;(#,##0.00)
• With currency: $#,##0;($#,##0)
• With red font for negatives: #,##0;[Red](#,##0)

Table Example:

This approach is highly flexible and can be customized for different reporting needs.

Advanced Techniques for Better Presentation

Once you master the basic formatting, you can enhance reports with advanced methods.

Combining Brackets with Conditional Formatting

Conditional formatting allows you to highlight negative values for better visibility.

Steps:

1. Select the data range.
2. Go to Home → Conditional Formatting → New Rule.
3. Choose Format only cells that contain.
4. Set the condition: Cell Value < 0.
5. Click Format, then choose a font color (e.g., Red) and apply brackets using a custom format: [Red](#,##0)

Now, negative numbers will appear in red with brackets.

Using Brackets in Formulas

Sometimes, you may want to return values in brackets using formulas instead of formatting.

For example, using the TEXT function:

=TEXT(A1,"#,##0;(#,##0)")

• If A1 is 500, the result will be 500.
• If A1 is -500, the result will be (500).

This is useful when exporting data to external systems that do not support Excel’s formatting.

Displaying Brackets in Charts

If you create a chart in Excel, the labels may still show a minus sign instead of brackets. To fix this:

1. Format the source cells using a custom format.
2. Insert a chart.
3. The labels will reflect the custom formatting with brackets.

This ensures consistency between tables and charts in reports.

Common Scenarios Where Brackets Are Useful

Brackets are not just about aesthetics; they are practical in real-world business tasks.

• Financial statements – Income statements and balance sheets often display losses in parentheses.
• Budgets – Negative variances are easier to spot with brackets.
• Cash flow reports – Outflows are highlighted clearly.
• Expense tracking – Brackets quickly show overspending.

Troubleshooting Formatting Issues

Sometimes, applying bracket formatting does not work as expected. Here are common issues and fixes:

• Numbers stored as text – Convert them to numbers using VALUE() or by re-entering data.
• Imported data – Some systems import negatives with trailing minus signs (e.g., 250-). Use Find & Replace or formulas to correct this.
• CSV exports – When exporting to CSV, custom formatting is lost. Use formulas (like TEXT()) if you need brackets in the exported file.
• Region settings – Some regional settings may affect how brackets display. Adjust settings under File → Options → Advanced.

Best Practices for Professional Reports

To make your reports professional and easy to understand:

• Use Accounting format for financial statements.
• Apply custom formats with consistent decimal places.
• Consider using red font + brackets for stronger emphasis.
• Ensure consistency across sheets and charts.
• Document your formatting style in a reporting guide for team use.

Final Thoughts

Displaying negative numbers in brackets in Excel is an essential skill for financial reporting, budgeting, and business analysis. Whether you use the built-in Accounting format, the Number Format dialog, or custom number formatting, brackets improve clarity and make your data look professional.

By combining brackets with conditional formatting, formulas, and chart labels, you can create consistent, professional reports that are easy to read and meet accounting standards.

Frequently Asked Questions

Vaishvi Desai

Vaishvi Desai is the founder of Excelsamurai and a passionate Excel enthusiast with years of experience in data analysis and spreadsheet management. With a mission to help others harness the power of Excel, Vaishvi shares her expertise through concise, easy-to-follow tutorials on shortcuts, formulas, Pivot Tables, and VBA.