Excel for Marketing Managers

Calculation Basics

Calculation

Basics

Adding a Column of Numbers.......................................................................................

Consider the problem in the next image. You might be tempted to use a very
long formula such as =B5+B6+B7+B8+B9+B10+B11 to calculate the total.

There is a much faster way. Excel offers a SUM function for totaling several
cells. Because summing a column of numbers is such a popular task among
accountants, Microsoft provided a shortcut key to enter sums.

1. Locate the AutoSum button.
   Place the cellpointer in cell B12. Look on the Standard toolbar for a Greek
   letter Sigma (∑). This is the AutoSum button. See Figure 29 below.


2. Select the range to sum.
   With the cellpointer in B12, press the AutoSum button. Excel will use its
   IntelliSense and propose a formula to sum the range from B5:B11. The pro-
   gram even draws a flashing box around the range that it is proposing to
   sum.

Figure 29

AutoSum button shortcut for summing cells

Figure 28

Adding a column of numbers