Course / Spreadsheet Basics

SUM and AutoSum

Total a whole range in one go, and learn the fastest shortcut in Excel. Beginner · 4 min · SUM, Ranges, AutoSum

Adding cells one by one (=B2+B3+B4…) gets tedious fast. SUM adds up a whole range at once.

A range is two cell addresses joined by a colon, so B2:B8 means every cell from B2 down to B8.

Steps

1. In B9, total the coffees sold this week with =SUM(B2:B8).

2. Now the shortcut. Select C9 and press Alt+= (or click Σ in the toolbar). Excel guesses the range; press Enter to accept it.

3. In D9, add up both columns. SUM can take several ranges separated by commas: =SUM(B2:B8, C2:C8)

4. How many coffees sold at the weekend? In B11, sum just Saturday and Sunday.

Remember

• =SUM(B2:B8) adds every number in a range.
• Alt+= (AutoSum) writes the SUM for you.
• SUM accepts several ranges: =SUM(B2:B8, D2:D8).

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