MS Excel allows us Add a column or several in different ways. We can use the autosum function, the status bar and even the Sum function to be able to calculate values in one or more columns. In this article we are going to see exactly how to achieve it accompanied by several examples to make it easier to understand.
Before continuing, we recommend that you learn how to use the COUNT function to know how many cells have numbers in them. Together with the possibility of adding in one or several columns, it can be something extremely useful for different jobs.
How to Sum a Column in Microsoft Excel
In order to add a column in an Excel spreadsheet, we will have to use the AutoSum function, the status bar or the Sum function. It is something simple to do and several to see all these methods one by one a little below.
Using the status bar
The easiest and fastest way is using the status bar, it offers us this easy access option.
- We open a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet that is blank, it would be ideal to test it. Although we can do it with a sheet that has information, it will depend on each one.
- The next thing is to select all the cells of the column that have the numbers that we want to add.
- In order to add the entire column, all we have to do is click on the letter of the column at the top.
- After doing this, we will look at the status bar and we will be able to see the calculated sum of all the numbers that are in the selected cells.
Sum a column using the AutoSum function
The second method is also excellent for calculating sums of a column.
- We open Microsoft Excel and a spreadsheet that has information; we can also fill some empty sheet to test.
- From here we are going to have to click on the empty cell below all the values that we want to calculate.
- After this, we are going to click on the Home tab that is at the top of Excel.
- Here we will have to select Autosum on the ribbon to continue.
- Now we can see the results, these should appear in the cell that we selected previously.
Using the SUM function
Finally, we have the SUM function that helps us to calculate the values of one or more columns in Excel. This would be the same as AutoSum, although we will have to manually enter the formula. For us it is better to use the above methods. However, we are going to explain how to use this function in case we think it is convenient to use it.
We will start a spreadsheet in Excel and click on the cell where we want the results to appear.
In the selected cell, we are going to have to write the function next to the range of cells where the data we want to add is located:
=SUM(C2:C11)
If what we want is to count the values of the selected columns, we will have to add the cells in the SUM function, it is important to make sure that they are separated by commas.
=SUM(C2,C5,C8)
In case we want to add some particular cells and a range, then we will use the following formula:
=SUM(C2:C5,C8,C10)
Finally, if we want to add an entire column, we will have to add the letter of the column in question to the SUM function and make sure that it appears in a different column:
=SUM(C:C)
Basically, that would be it. With these simple methods we will be able to add a column in Excel, we can also do it with several and it will take us a few minutes to achieve it.
