I would use what TT prints and ignore the instructions.
Publication 1167 section 6.2.8 (page 30) https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p1167.pdf
says for the following for all "substitute forms" (I think a tax form printed by software is probably a "substitute form" as it is not a printed form from the IRS)
Negative (or loss) amount entries should be enclosed in brackets or parentheses
or include a minus sign. This assists in accurate computation and input of form
data. The IRS preprints parentheses in negative data fields on many official
forms. These parentheses should be retained or inserted on printouts of affected
substitute forms
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