How to Convert Negative Values to Positive in Excel

Sometimes, you may encounter negative values in your Excel data that you want to convert to positive. For example, you may have a list of expenses that are recorded as negative numbers, but you want to show them as positive numbers for reporting purposes. Or, you may have a list of sales that are recorded as positive numbers, but you want to show them as negative numbers for budgeting purposes.

There are several ways to convert negative values to positive in Excel, depending on your needs and preferences. In this article, we will explain the basic theory behind each method, and show you the procedures to apply them. We will also provide a comprehensive explanation of the advantages and disadvantages of each method, and give you a scenario with real data to illustrate how they work. Finally, we will use an Excel table to display the results of each method, and compare them with each other.

Methods

Method 1: Using the ABS Function

The ABS function is a built-in function in Excel that returns the absolute value of a number. The absolute value of a number is the number without its sign, or the distance of the number from zero on a number line. For example, the absolute value of -5 is 5, and the absolute value of 5 is 5.

To use the ABS function to convert negative values to positive, you simply need to enter the function in a cell, and refer to the cell that contains the negative value. For example, if you have a negative value in cell A2, you can enter =ABS(A2) in cell B2 to get the positive value.

The advantage of using the ABS function is that it is simple and easy to use, and it works for both negative and positive values. The disadvantage of using the ABS function is that it does not preserve the original sign of the value, and it creates a new column of data that you may not need.

Method 2: Using the Paste Special Option

The Paste Special option is a feature in Excel that allows you to paste data in different ways, such as values, formulas, formats, etc. You can also use the Paste Special option to perform mathematical operations on the data, such as adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing.

To use the Paste Special option to convert negative values to positive, you need to follow these steps:

1. Enter -1 in any empty cell, and copy it.
2. Select the range of cells that contain the negative values that you want to convert to positive.
3. Right-click on the selected range, and choose Paste Special from the menu.
4. In the Paste Special dialog box, choose Values under Paste, and Multiply under Operation.
5. Click OK.

This will multiply the negative values by -1, which will change their sign to positive. You can then delete the cell that contains -1, or use it for other purposes.

The advantage of using the Paste Special option is that it preserves the original sign of the value, and it does not create a new column of data. The disadvantage of using the Paste Special option is that it changes the original data, and it may not work for positive values.

Method 3: Using a Custom Format

A custom format is a way to change the appearance of a cell without changing its underlying value. You can use a custom format to display a negative value as a positive value, or vice versa, by using a specific syntax.

To use a custom format to convert negative values to positive, you need to follow these steps:

1. Select the range of cells that contain the negative values that you want to convert to positive.
2. Right-click on the selected range, and choose Format Cells from the menu.
3. In the Format Cells dialog box, choose Custom under Category, and enter the following syntax in the Type box: 0;0
4. Click OK.

This will display the negative values as positive values, but the underlying value will remain negative. You can also use other symbols or characters to customize the format, such as commas, decimals, currency symbols, etc.

The advantage of using a custom format is that it does not change the original value, and it does not create a new column of data. The disadvantage of using a custom format is that it only changes the appearance of the value, and it may not work for calculations or other functions.

Scenario

To demonstrate how each method works, let us use the following scenario:

You are a sales manager for a company that sells office supplies. You have a list of sales for the month of January 2024, and you want to convert the negative values to positive. The negative values represent returns or refunds, and the positive values represent sales. You want to show the total sales, the total returns, and the net sales for the month.

Here is the list of sales in Excel:

Results

Here is the Excel table that shows the results of each method, along with the formulas and formats used:

As you can see, the ABS function and the Paste Special option both give the same result for the total sales, which is 20500. However, the ABS function creates a new column of data, while the Paste Special option changes the original data. The custom format only changes the appearance of the data, but not the underlying value. Therefore, the total sales is still -1500, which is incorrect.

To calculate the total returns and the net sales, we can use the following formulas:

As you can see, the ABS function and the Paste Special option both give the same result for the total returns, which is 1500, and the net sales, which is 19000. However, the custom format gives the wrong result for the net sales, which is -3000, because it does not change the underlying value.