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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.

Usage

Use the SUM formula with the syntax shown below, it has 1 required parameter and 1 optional parameter:

=SUM(value1, [value2, ...])
Parameters:
  1. value1 (required):
    The first value or range of cells to be added together.
  2. value2, ... (optional):
    Additional values or ranges of cells to be added together.

Examples

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

Simple addition of a range of cells

You can use the SUM function to easily add up a range of cells. This is especially useful for large data sets where manual addition would be time-consuming and prone to errors.

Calculating a total for a column or row

By using the SUM function with a range of cells in a column or row, you can quickly calculate a total for that column or row.

Summing values based on a condition

You can use the SUM function in combination with other functions, such as IF or QUERY, to sum values based on a certain condition.

Common Mistakes

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

Incorrect range of cells provided

One common mistake is providing an incorrect range of cells as an argument. Double check that the range is correct and includes all the necessary cells.

Using non-numeric values

Another common mistake is trying to sum non-numeric values. The SUM formula can only sum numbers, so make sure all values in the range are numeric.

Incorrect syntax used

Make sure you are using the correct syntax for the SUM formula. The correct syntax is SUM(value1, [value2, ...]) where value1 is the first value or range of values you want to sum.

Related Formulas

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

  • 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.

  • MAX

    The MAX function returns the maximum value from a range of cells or a set of supplied values. It is commonly used to find the largest value in a dataset.

  • 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.

  • COUNT

    The COUNT formula returns the number of numeric values within a specified range of cells. It is commonly used to count the number of entries in a given range that meet specific criteria, such as counting the number of sales above a certain threshold.

Learn More

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