# How to make positive numbers negative in Excel

Put a minus in front of ABS: `=-ABS(B2)` makes every amount negative, including ones that already were.

**Excel:** `=-ABS(B2)` (Every current version)

**Google Sheets:** the same formula works.

## Example

Sample data (row 1 is the header):

| A | B | C |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Expense | Amount entered | As negative |
| Rent | 1800 |  |
| Utilities | -212.4 |  |
| Insurance | 145 |  |
| Internet | -79.99 |  |
| Supplies | 63.5 |  |

Formula in C2, filled to C6: `=-ABS(B2)`

Result: -$1,800.00; -$212.40; -$145.00; -$79.99; -$63.50

## How it works

ABS first removes any sign, so every value is positive; the minus in front then makes it negative. That cleans up a column where expenses were entered inconsistently, some with a minus and some without.

## Other ways

- `=IF(B2>0,-B2,B2)`: Flips only the positive values and leaves the negatives as they are.
- `=-B2`: A plain minus flips every sign. (Amounts that were already negative become positive: 212.40 and 79.99.)

## Common mistakes

- `=-B2` or multiplying by -1 turns already-negative amounts positive. Use -ABS when the column has mixed signs.
- Negative numbers formatted with parentheses, like (212.40), are still negative values; check the sign with `=B2<0` rather than by eye.

## Questions

**How do I change the numbers in place?**

Type -1 in a spare cell, copy it, select the positive amounts and use Paste Special > Multiply.

**How do I show negatives in red or in parentheses?**

That is formatting, not a formula: use a number format like `#,##0.00;[Red](#,##0.00)`.

Every formula and result on this page was checked by running it in the Spreadsheet Practice formula engine on 2026-10-30.

Source: https://spreadsheetpractice.com/formulas/make-positive-numbers-negative