Amounts Printed with a Trailing Minus Sign
Some statements show money out with the minus at the end, as in 123.45- (an example figure). Spreadsheets don’t read that as a number, so a copied column often turns into text or loses its sign.
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How the converter reads it
RowSmith treats a minus after an amount the same as one in front, so an example line printed as 123.45- comes out as -123.45 in the amount column. A few related cases:
- A detached minus: if the PDF stores the minus as a separate piece of text just after the number, the converter tries to join the two before reading the sign.
- Other signs: brackets, a leading minus, CR and DR are recognised as well. CR is read as money in and DR as money out.
- Balance column: a trailing minus in the balance column is not used as a sign. If your balance dips below zero and the statement shows that only with a trailing minus, check those balances by hand.
- Card statements: on a card statement, charges usually print plain and payments or refunds carry the minus. There, a trailing minus is read as money back to the card rather than money spent.
Checking the result
- Pick a few lines that end in a minus on the PDF and find them in the preview. They should show as negative (or positive on a card statement).
- Sum the negative amounts and compare with the statement's withdrawals or debits total, if it prints one.
- If the statement has a running balance, use it to spot any line whose sign looks wrong.
The output is an estimate of what the PDF says, so review it before you use it.
Already pasted into a spreadsheet?
If you copied the column straight from the PDF, cells like 123.45- usually sit as text. A formula can move the minus to the front: check whether the cell ends in a minus, and if it does, take everything before it and multiply by -1. Converting the PDF again avoids the fix.
Questions
Is 123.45- the same as -123.45?
On a bank statement, usually yes: it marks money out. On a card statement it often marks a payment or refund. Check the statement's own key if it has one.
Why does a balance with a trailing minus show as positive?
The converter doesn’t treat a trailing minus in the balance column as a sign. Check any overdrawn balances against the PDF.
Does it handle CR and DR as well?
Yes, CR and DR after an amount are read as money in and money out. Still review the rows before you use them.
This guide was written with AI assistance and reviewed against the converter's behaviour. Always review your output before using it.
RowSmith is an independent tool and is not affiliated with any bank or software company.
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