>I have tried:
>
>.format="("
>.inputmask="999"
>
>also
>
>.format="@("
>.inputmask="999"
>
>the result is:
>
>value = -123
>display = -123
>
>Please advise

I see no sign in help that a Format of "(" does what you want, and in fact, I don't see a way to do it without converting the value with Transform or something like that. In a report, it's easy; there's a checkbox on the Format tab.

Tamar