Formatting data labels

[rilezJ]

Constructed a waterfall chart with column labels "blank", "up", and "down". The down column will return a positive label (-MIN(cell reference)) and I want it to show as a negative on my chart. How do I do this? The value in the cell cannot be negative as it will just drop below the x-axis and throw off my charts. I want everything to remain the same and just throw some parenthesis around all my down values on the chart labels. Is there a VBA macro that will allow me to do this? Thanks in advance...

[6StringJazzer]

Very difficult to try to imagine what you're doing from this explanation. I don't see the problem in plotting a negative value as a negative value; it would be much easier to understand with your file.

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[Andy Pope]

You can apply a different number format to the data labels than that used by the chart for the data point.

[rilezJ]

Thanks, I went through a crap load of Macro examples on number formatting to do this. This is much easier. But, do you have any template for an If, then Macro...to recognize any of the "down" or "negative" data points and automatically format them $(0.00)?

[Andy Pope]

Why? there is no need for code.
You simply need to use the custom number format on the data labels. So the Negative series, although it contains postive values has the number format
(General)

[rilezJ]

I understand how to format the numbers. These charts will be run a few times a week and those negatives may move to positive and vice versa. Hence, I would like to set it up so that anything which populates my down series will be formatted ($0.00). If I change a down value to the ($0.00) format, and the following week that number is a positive (up), it will still have that ($0.00) format, right? And if I have several charts that are, right now, all positive up values, I want to be prepared for those numbers to change to negatives as well and be formatted correctly. Am I not understanding some automated method that you have already provided? If so, Sorry, please explain when you get a chance.

[Andy Pope]

In my example column F contains the values for negative data points in the chart.
If you format that series' data labels with, (General), then any time a negative datapoint is show it will include the brackets.