Hi winter,

Instead of { =qty1*b5 \# "$#,##0.00;($#,##0.00)" }, your 'total' formula should read {={REF Qty1}*E2 \# "$,0.00"}

You need to use a REF field to retrieve the Qty dropdown's value, with the field braces for it (ie '{ }') created via Ctrl-F9. Your 'b5' reference is also wrong - it refers to row 5 in the 'Item' column. As for your numeric picture switch, there's no reason to provide for negative values and the # characters are only of any benefit for padding out the field when the value is less that 1,000. Even so, that padding doesn't give a character spacing equal to what you get when the missing digits are supplied. If you want to enforce right-alignment, use a tab after the $ symbol in the field code and insert either a right-tab or decimal-tab in the cell(s) concerned.

__________________
Cheers,
Paul Edstein
[Fmr MS MVP - Word]