WD98: How to Modify a Calculation Field to Appear Blank (185399)

MORE INFORMATION

If You Use a Formula (=) Field

To change the result of a formula field to appear blank rather than displaying a zero, follow these steps:

1. Press OPTION+F9 to toggle (show) the field codes.
   
   You should see your FORMULA field similar to the following:

   { =SUM(A1:A3) \# $#,##0.00 }

2. Change (modify) the FORMULA field to show as the following:

   { =SUM(A1:A3) \# $#,##0.00;($#,##0.00); }

   NOTE: Be sure to include (type) the semicolon at the end of the picture switch.
3. Press OPTION+F9 to toggle (hide) the field codes and to show the result of the formula Field. When you update your field codes, the formula field should now display blank when the result of the calculation is zero.

If You Use a Calculation Form Field

To change the result of a calculation form field to show no value instead of a zero, use one of the following methods:

Method 1: Change the Calculation Form Field Options

1. Unprotect your form document.
2. Double-click the Calculation form field.
3. In the "Text Form Field Options" dialog box, copy (CTRL+C) or cut (CTRL+X) and then delete the contents of the Number format box.
   
   NOTE: The Number Format box must be blank.
4. In the "Text Form Field Options" dialog box, paste or type the number format to the end of the formula contained in the Expression box. The Expression box should appear similar to the following example:

   = text1 + text2 \# $#,##0.00;($#,##0.00);

   NOTE: Be sure your expression ends with a semi-colon (;).
5. Click OK to close the "Text Form Field Options" dialog box, and then reprotect your form.

Method 2: Change the FORMTEXT Field

1. Unprotect your form document.
2. Hold down CONTROL and click the Calculation text form field and then click Properties on the shortcut menu.
3. In the "Text Form Field Options" dialog box, copy (COMMAND+C) or cut (COMMAND+X) and then delete the contents of the Number format box.
   
   NOTE: The Number format box must be blank.
4. Click OK to close the "Text Form Field Options" dialog box.
5. In your form, press OPTION+F9 to toggle (show) the field codes.
   
   The calculation text form field should disappear and show a field similar to the following:

   { FORMTEXT { =PRODUCT(A1:A3) } }

6. Paste (COMMAND+V) or type the picture field switch (\#) format for your FORMTEXT field to show as follows:

   { FORMTEXT { =PRODUCT(A1:A3) \# $#,##0.00;($#,##0.00); } }

   NOTE: Be sure to include (type) the semicolon at the end of the picture switch.
7. Press OPTION+F9 to toggle (hide) the field codes and to show the result of the Calculation Text Form Field, and then reprotect your form.

Your calculation form field should now appear blank when the result of your calculation is zero.

For more information about the picture field switch, click Contents And Index on the Help menu (or on the Balloon Help menu if you are using a version of the Macintosh operating system earlier than 8.0), click the Index button in Microsoft Word for the Macintosh Help, type the following text and then click Show Topics. Select the "General Switches" topic, and click Go To. If you are unable to find the information you need, ask the Office Assistant.

For additional information, please see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: