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DSUM

The DSUM function is a database function that calculates the sum of a set of values in a specified field, subject to the provided criteria. It is commonly used for filtering large data sets based on certain criteria and calculating the total sum of a particular field that matches the criteria.

Usage

Use the DSUM formula with the syntax shown below, it has 3 required parameters:

=DSUM(database, field, criteria)
Parameters:
  1. database (required):
    The range of cells that make up the database, including headers.
  2. field (required):
    The column or field that contains the values to be summed.
  3. criteria (required):
    The range of cells that contain the criteria to filter the data set.

Examples

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

Calculate total sales for a specific product

Use DSUM to calculate the total sales for a specific product in a large data set.

Calculate total expenses for a specific category

Use DSUM to calculate the total expenses for a specific category in a large data set.

Calculate average score for a specific group

Use DSUM to calculate the average score for a specific group of students in a large data set.

Common Mistakes

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

Using incorrect database range

One common mistake when using DSUM is providing an incorrect range for the database argument. Double-check that the range you provide includes all the rows and columns you need for your calculation.

Providing incorrect field parameter

Another common mistake is providing an incorrect field parameter. Make sure that the field you want to calculate is specified correctly.

Incorrectly specifying criteria

A common mistake is not specifying the criteria parameter correctly. Double-check that you have provided the correct criteria for your calculation.

Incorrectly formatting criteria

Another common mistake is incorrectly formatting the criteria parameter. Make sure that you are using the correct syntax for your criteria.

Using DSUM with non-numeric data

DSUM is designed to work with numeric data only. If you try to use it with non-numeric data, you may get unexpected results.

Related Formulas

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

  • 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.

  • AVERAGEIF

    The AVERAGEIF function calculates the average of a range of cells that meet a specified criteria. It is commonly used when working with large datasets to quickly calculate the average of a subset of data. The function takes a range of cells to evaluate (criteria_range), a string or value to compare against (criterion), and an optional range of cells to average (average_range). If the average_range is not specified, the function will use the same range as the criteria_range.

  • AVERAGEIFS

    The AVERAGEIFS formula calculates the average of a range of cells that meet multiple criteria. It is most commonly used to find the average of a range of values that meet specific conditions. The formula takes one required argument (average_range) and any number of optional argument pairs (criteria_range, criterion).

Learn More

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