Excel: Error When Using +, -, @, or = to Start Text in a Cell

ID: Q43995

The information in this article applies to:

SUMMARY

In Microsoft Excel version 2.2 and later, a text value cannot start with any of the following symbols: 


   Name of Sign       Symbol
   -------------      ------

   Equal sign           =
   Plus sign            +
   Minus sign           -
   At sign              @


If these symbols are used to start a cell, the error message "Error in Formula" will result if the entered information is not a valid formula. This behavior is by program design to provide compatibility with other spreadsheet applications, such as Lotus 1-2-3 and Microsoft Excel for Windows, which use these characters to enter formulas.

To enter a text value beginning with one of the above symbols, use one of the following methods:

Method 1

Precede the text value with a hard space (OPTION+SPACEBAR).

Method 2

Enter the text value preceded by an equal sign (=) and enclose it in quotation marks, as shown in the following example: 


   ="+/- 2 Weeks"


MORE INFORMATION

This behavior is different from Microsoft Excel versions 1.5 and earlier, which allows formulas to begin with a "+", "-", or an "@", and treat any cell beginning with one of those symbols as text.

Additional query words: 


Keywords          : 
Version           : 
Platform          : 
Issue type        :

Last Reviewed: March 12, 1999