The negative number inside parenthesis format is not available in Excel for numbers or for currency

When you try to format cells in Microsoft Excel that contain a negative number inside parenthesis, such as for currency ($1,234.10) or for numbers (1234.10), the format is not available.

This behavior may occur if you select a non-English (United States) location as Your Locale (location) on the General tab of your Regional Options (click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel).

To correct this behavior, change the default negative number format when you use a non-English (United States) location as Your Locale (location). To do this, use one of the following methods.

Method 1: For Microsoft Windows XP

1. Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
2. Click Date, Time, Language, and Regional Options.
3. Click Regional and Language Options.
4. On the Regional Options tab, follow these steps:
   1. In the Select an item to match its preferences, or click Customize to choose your own formats box, select the location that you want.
   2. Click Customize.
   3. On the Numbers tab, change the Negative number format box to the format that you want, such as (1.1).
   4. On the Currency tab, change the Negative currency format box to the format that you want, such as ($1.1).
   5. Click Apply.
   6. Click OK to close the Customize Regional Options dialog box.
5. Click OK to close the Regional and Language Options dialog box.

Method 2: For Microsoft Windows 2000

1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
2. Double-click Regional Options.
3. On the General tab, change the Your locale (location) box to the location that you want.
4. On the Numbers tab, change the Negative number format box to the format that you want, such as (1.1).
5. On the Currency tab, change the Negative currency format box to the format that you want, such as ($1.1).
6. Click Apply.
7. Click OK to close the Regional Options dialog box.

To select the cell format that you want to use in Excel, follow these steps:

1. Start Excel and open your worksheet.
2. Select the cell or cell range that you want to format.
3. On the Format menu, click Cells.
4. On the Number tab, click the Category that you want to change--for example, click Currency.
5. In the Negative numbers list, select the format that you want.
6. Click OK to close the Format Cells dialog box.