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ADD

The ADD formula is an operator that adds the values of two or more cells in Google Sheets. It is commonly used in basic arithmetic operations as well as more complex mathematical and financial calculations. The formula takes two arguments, value1 and value2, which can be cell references or direct values. The result of the calculation is the sum of the two values.

Usage

Use the ADD formula with the syntax shown below, it has 2 required parameters:

=ADD(value1, value2)
Parameters:
  1. value1 (required):
    The first value to be added. This can be a cell reference or a direct value.
  2. value2 (required):
    The second value to be added. This can be a cell reference or a direct value.

Examples

Here are a few example use cases that explain how to use the ADD formula in Google Sheets.

Add two numbers

To add two numbers in different cells, use the ADD formula and reference the cells as arguments. For example, =ADD(A1, B1) will add the values in cells A1 and B1.

Add a series of numbers

To add a series of numbers in a column or row, use the SUM formula and reference the range of cells as an argument. For example, =SUM(A1:A5) will add the values in cells A1 through A5.

Add values conditionally

To add values conditionally based on a certain criteria, use the SUMIF or SUMIFS formula. For example, =SUMIF(A1:A5,">10") will add the values in cells A1 through A5 that are greater than 10.

Common Mistakes

ADD not working? Here are some common mistakes people make when using the ADD Google Sheets Formula:

Forgetting to separate values with commas

One of the most common mistakes when using the ADD formula is forgetting to separate the values with commas.

Using non-numerical values

The ADD formula can only be used with numerical values, so using non-numerical values will result in an error.

The following functions are similar to ADD or are often used with it in a formula:

  • SUM

    The SUM function in Google Sheets adds up a range of numbers. This function is most commonly used to sum the values in a range of cells.

  • SUMIF

    The SUMIF formula is used to add up values in a range that meet a specific criterion. It can be used to sum values based on text, numbers, or dates. The formula is most commonly used in financial analysis, budgeting, and data analysis.

  • SUMIFS

    The SUMIFS formula is a function in Google Sheets that adds the values in a specified range based on multiple criteria. It is most commonly used to sum data that meets specific criteria, such as summing sales for a particular month by region or summing expenses for a specific category and date range.

  • AVERAGE

    The AVERAGE function calculates the average (arithmetic mean) of the values passed to it. It is commonly used to find the average of a range of cells containing numerical data.

  • MIN

    The MIN formula is a statistical function that returns the smallest value in a set of numbers. It is commonly used to find the minimum value from a range of cells or a list of values.

Learn More

You can learn more about the ADD Google Sheets function on Google Support.