Let's say you want to sum prices for all items not on sale in a store or sum gross profit margins for all departments under budget. There are several ways to add numbers.
What do you want to do?
Add numbers in a cell
Add all contiguous numbers in a row or column
Add noncontiguous numbers
Add numbers based on one condition
Add numbers based on multiple conditions
Add numbers based on criteria stored in a separate range
Add numbers based on multiple conditions with the Conditional Sum Wizard
Add unique values
Add numbers in a cell
To do this task, use the + (plus sign) arithmetic operator.
For example, if you type the following formula in a cell:
=5+10
The cell displays the following result:
15
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Add all contiguous numbers in a row or column
To do this task, use AutoSum
.
- Click a cell below the column of numbers or to the right of the row of numbers.
- Click AutoSum
on the Standard
toolbar (toolbar: A bar with buttons and options that you use to carry out commands. To display a toolbar, press ALT and then SHIFT+F10.), and then press ENTER.
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Add noncontiguous numbers
To do this task, use the SUM function.
Example
The example may be easier to understand if you copy it to a blank worksheet.
How to copy an example
- Create a blank workbook or worksheet.
- Select the example in the Help topic.
Note Do not select the row or column headers.
Selecting an example from Help
- Press CTRL+C.
- In the worksheet, select cell A1, and press CTRL+V.
- To switch between viewing the results and viewing the formulas that return the results, press CTRL+` (grave accent), or on the Tools menu, point to Formula Auditing, and then click Formula Auditing Mode.
|
|
| A |
B |
| Salesperson |
Invoice |
| Buchanan |
15,000 |
| Buchanan |
9,000 |
| Suyama |
8,000 |
| Suyama |
20,000 |
| Buchanan |
5,000 |
| Dodsworth |
22,500 |
| Formula |
Description (Result) |
| =SUM(B2:B3, B5) |
Adds two invoices from Buchanan, and one from Suyama (44,000) |
| =SUM(B2,B5,B7) |
Adds individual invoices from Buchanan, Suyama, and Dodsworth (57,500) |
|
Note The SUM function can include up to 30 cell or range references.
Function details
SUM
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Add numbers based on one condition
You can use the SUMIF function to create a total value for one range based on a value in another range, as in the following example.
Example
The example may be easier to understand if you copy it to a blank worksheet.
How to copy an example
- Create a blank workbook or worksheet.
- Select the example in the Help topic.
Note Do not select the row or column headers.
Selecting an example from Help
- Press CTRL+C.
- In the worksheet, select cell A1, and press CTRL+V.
- To switch between viewing the results and viewing the formulas that return the results, press CTRL+` (grave accent), or on the Tools menu, point to Formula Auditing, and then click Formula Auditing Mode.
|
|
| A |
B |
| Salesperson |
Invoice |
| Buchanan |
15,000 |
| Buchanan |
9,000 |
| Suyama |
8,000 |
| Suyama |
20,000 |
| Buchanan |
5,000 |
| Dodsworth |
22,500 |
| Formula |
Description (Result) |
| =SUMIF(A2:A7,"Buchanan",B2:B7) |
Sum of invoices for Buchanan (29000) |
| =SUMIF(B2:B7,">=9000",B2:B7) |
Sum of large invoices greater than or equal to 9,000 (66500) |
| =SUMIF(B2:B7,"<9000",B2:B7) |
Sum of small invoices less than 9,000 (13000) |
|
The SUMIF function uses the following arguments
Formula with SUMIF function
Range to evaluate: Check these cells to determine whether a row meets your criteria.
Criteria: The condition that the cells you evaluate must meet for the row to be included in the sum.
Range to sum: Add the numbers in these cells provided that the row satisfies the condition.
Function details
SUMIF
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Add numbers based on multiple conditions
To do this task, use the IF and SUM functions.
Example
The example may be easier to understand if you copy it to a blank worksheet.
How to copy an example
- Create a blank workbook or worksheet.
- Select the example in the Help topic.
Note Do not select the row or column headers.
Selecting an example from Help
- Press CTRL+C.
- In the worksheet, select cell A1, and press CTRL+V.
- To switch between viewing the results and viewing the formulas that return the results, press CTRL+` (grave accent), or on the Tools menu, point to Formula Auditing, and then click Formula Auditing Mode.
|
|
| A |
B |
C |
D |
| Region |
Salesperson |
Type |
Sales |
| South |
Buchanan |
Beverages |
3571 |
| West |
Davolio |
Dairy |
3338 |
| East |
Suyama |
Beverages |
5122 |
| North |
Suyama |
Dairy |
6239 |
| South |
Dodsworth |
Produce |
8677 |
| South |
Davolio |
Meat |
450 |
| South |
Davolio |
Meat |
7673 |
| East |
Suyama |
Produce |
664 |
| North |
Davolio |
Produce |
1500 |
| South |
Dodsworth |
Meat |
6596 |
| Formula |
Description (Result) |
| =SUM(IF((A2:A11="South")*(C2:C11="Meat"),D2:D11)) |
Sum of Meat sales in the South region (14719) |
| =SUM(IF((A2:A11="South")+(A2:A11="East"),D2:D11)) |
Sum of sales where the region is South or East (32753) |
|
Note The formulas in the example must be entered as array formulas (array formula: A formula that performs multiple calculations on one or more sets of values, and then returns either a single result or multiple results. Array formulas are enclosed between braces { } and are entered by pressing CTRL+SHIFT+ENTER.). After copying the example to a blank worksheet, select the formula cell. Press F2, and then press CTRL+SHIFT+ENTER. If the formula is not entered as an array formula, the error #VALUE! is returned.
Function details
SUM
IF
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Add numbers based on criteria stored in a separate range
To do this task, use the DSUM function.
Example
The example may be easier to understand if you copy it to a blank worksheet.
How to copy an example
- Create a blank workbook or worksheet.
- Select the example in the Help topic.
Note Do not select the row or column headers.
Selecting an example from Help
- Press CTRL+C.
- In the worksheet, select cell A1, and press CTRL+V.
- To switch between viewing the results and viewing the formulas that return the results, press CTRL+` (grave accent), or on the Tools menu, point to Formula Auditing, and then click Formula Auditing Mode.
|
|
| A |
B |
C |
D |
| Region |
Salesperson |
Type |
Sales |
| South |
Buchanan |
Beverages |
3571 |
| West |
Davolio |
Dairy |
3338 |
| East |
Suyama |
Beverages |
5122 |
| North |
Suyama |
Dairy |
6239 |
| South |
Dodsworth |
Produce |
8677 |
| South |
Davolio |
Meat |
450 |
| South |
Davolio |
Meat |
7673 |
| East |
Suyama |
Produce |
664 |
| North |
Davolio |
Produce |
1500 |
| South |
Dodsworth |
Meat |
6596 |
| Region |
Salesperson |
Type |
Sales |
| South |
|
Meat |
|
|
|
|
Produce |
|
| Formula |
Description (Result) |
| =DSUM(A1:D11, "Sales", A12:D13) |
Sum of Meat sales in the South region (14719) |
| =DSUM(A1:D11, "Sales", A12:D14) |
Sum of Meat and Produce sales in the South region (25560) |
|
The DSUM function uses the following arguments.
Range to evaluate: The list from which you want to sum.
Field: The label of the column to sum.
Criteria: The range of cells that contains the conditions.
Function details
DSUM
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Add numbers based on multiple conditions with the Conditional Sum Wizard
If you want to summarize values in a list (list: A series of rows that contains related data or a series of rows that you designate to function as a datasheet by using the Create List command.) based on specific conditions, you can use the Conditional Sum Wizard. For example, if your list contains sales amounts for different salespeople, the Conditional Sum Wizard add-in (add-in: A supplemental program that adds custom commands or custom features to Microsoft Office.) program can help you create a formula that calculates the total sales amount for one salesperson.
- Click a cell in the list.
- On the Tools menu, point to Wizard, and then click Conditional Sum.
If the Conditional Sum command is not on the Wizard submenu on the Tools menu, load the Conditional Sum Wizard add-in program.
- Follow the instructions in the wizard.
Note The formulas created by the Conditional Sum Wizard are array formulas (array formula: A formula that performs multiple calculations on one or more sets of values, and then returns either a single result or multiple results. Array formulas are enclosed between braces { } and are entered by pressing CTRL+SHIFT+ENTER.). After you edit these formulas, you must press CTRL+SHIFT+ENTER to lock in the formulas.
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Add unique values
To do this task, use the SUM, IF, and FREQUENCY functions.
The following example uses the:
- FREQUENCY function to identify the unique values. For the first occurrence of a specific value, this function returns a number equal to the number of occurrences of that value. For each occurrence of that same value after the first, this function returns a 0 (zero).
- IF function to assign a value of 1 to each true condition.
- The SUM function to add the unique values.
Tip To see a function evaluated step by step, select the cell containing the formula. Then, on the Tools menu, point to Formula Auditing and click Evaluate Formula.
Example
The example may be easier to understand if you copy it to a blank worksheet.
How to copy an example
- Create a blank workbook or worksheet.
- Select the example in the Help topic.
Note Do not select the row or column headers.
Selecting an example from Help
- Press CTRL+C.
- In the worksheet, select cell A1, and press CTRL+V.
- To switch between viewing the results and viewing the formulas that return the results, press CTRL+` (grave accent), or on the Tools menu, point to Formula Auditing, and then click Formula Auditing Mode.
|
|
| A |
| Data |
| 986 |
| 456 |
| 67 |
| 1 |
| 34 |
| 689 |
| 456 | | 56 | | 67 |
| Formula | Description (Result) |
| =SUM(IF(FREQUENCY(A2:A10,A2:A10)>0,A2:A10)) | Add the unique values in cells A2:A10 (2289) |
|
Note The formulas in this example must be entered as array formulas (array formula: A formula that performs multiple calculations on one or more sets of values, and then returns either a single result or multiple results. Array formulas are enclosed between braces { } and are entered by pressing CTRL+SHIFT+ENTER.). Select each cell that contains a formula, press F2, and then press CTRL+SHIFT+ENTER.
Function details
FREQUENCY
SUM
IF
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