Sum in Excel – 4 different forms

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Sum in Excel is the most common operation in a spreadsheet.  There are at least 4 different ways to sum in Excel.   

Sum in Excel can be done (a) using the ‘+’ sign; (b) with the formula ‘SUM’; (c) clicking in the icon or (d) using keyboard shortcut.  We can sum several cells or a range of cells.

The addition is one of the 4 basic operations in Maths. Therefore, the Excel enables many different forms to get the summation.

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How to sum in Excel?

There are 4 ways to add in Excel: (a) using the ‘+’ or ‘=’ sign; (b) with the function ‘=SUM’; (c) clicking the Autosum icon or (d) using keyboard shortcut Alt+’=’.   Those 4 methods permit to sum aligned cells as a row or in a column. Only the first method (a) allows to sum cells in different rows and columns.

What is the shortcut to sum in Excel?

In Excel, the shortcut for sum is ‘Alt’ + ‘=’, that is typed below the last row of a column. Excel will place the formula ‘=SUM()’ in this cell and sum all the rows above until it finds an empty cell.

In the video below, it is shown how to do it.

1) Sum in Excel using ‘+’ sign

The simplest form to sum in Excel is adding the cell one-by-one. A sum must start typing the signs ‘+’ or ‘=’. Evry function begins with a ‘=’ sign, as we can see below in the other 3 manners of sum in Excel.

The steps are:

  1. Click in the cell where the result will be shown;
  2. type ‘+’ in keyboard;
  3. click in the cell with value to be summed;
  4. repeat items b) and c) until we select all the cells to be summed
  5. type ‘Enter’
  6. Type ‘Enter’, the summation appears.

This way of adding is the most suitable for beginners.  It’s the best way to learn to use math operations in Excel.

Another situation is to sum cells in different row and/or columns. Then, you can add cells in different positions on the worksheet.

2) Sum columns using the formula ‘=SUM’ in Excel

The formulas in Excel are used to automatize repetitive activities. Hence, the formula ‘=SUM()’ permits to sum numeric values in a range.

To use SUM formula in Excel, we need to:

  1. Click in the cell where the result will be shown;
  2. Type ‘=sum(‘ in the keypad
  3. Click with left button in the first cell of the interval and hold it
  4. Move the cursor to the the last cell of the range.
  5. Release the mouse button after the range is selected
  6. Type ‘Enter’ in the keyboard

Type ‘Enter’ and Excel closes the parenthesis in the SUM formula. The value of sum result (the summation) of the range appears in the cell where the SUM formula was placed.

In this example, the sum is made using the cells immediately above the cell with the formula. Moreover, it is possible use this kind of formula in any range like rows, columns or rows and columns together.

3) Sum in Excel using ‘sum’ icon

A quick form to use ‘SUM’ function on Excel is using the button sum S. This icon is located on top right of screen.

Then, Microsoft Excel app sums every values that are above the cell with the sum.

To sum in Excel using the SUM icon:

  1. Click in the cell where the result will be shown; (Tip: This cell with formula must be below the last cell with values [to sum a column] OR on the right cell [to sum a row].)
  2. Click on sum icon
  3. Type ‘Enter’ in the keyboard.

Type ‘Enter’, the resulting value of sum the range (the summation) appears in the cell where the SUM formula was placed. Observe that the function in the selected cell is going to be the same when we type the SUM formula or using the icon.

When we use the sum button, Excel auto-fills the selected cell automatically. In practice, the button is going to use the SUM function as in the item 2 above.

Observe that the sum icon is not available before Excel 2010 version.

4) Sum in Excel using shortcut

Shortcut allows us to perform an automatic task. In order to a shortcut in Excel works, the user shall type and maintain all the keys pressed in the correct order. Besides, the user must maintain the key hold until the last key is pressed.

In this case, the user have to:

  1.  Click in the cell where the result will be shown; (Tip: This cell with formula must be below the last cell with values [to sum a column] OR on the right cell [to sum a row].)
  2. Hold ‘Alt’ key on keyboard (Tip: this key is on the left side of your keyboard, which is different from ‘Alt Gr’ key on the right side).
  3. Keep ‘Alt’ key pressed and press ‘=’.
  4. The SUM formula shall appear on the screen.
  5. Release the keys
  6. Press ‘Enter’ on keyboard.

The summation of the values in the column should appear in the cell selected on the first step (a).

Other important detail is that the shortcut is represented by ‘Alt’ + ‘=’. (This means that key ‘Alt’ may be typed together with the key ‘=’).

Observe that the cell will be filled with SUM formula. Then, the items 2), 3) and 4) have the same final result using different forms.

I hope you like this post. Now that you know about Excel spreadsheets, share this post with your friends. It is important to every one learn how to use Excel easily.

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