How to Sum a Column in Google Sheets

Sanskar Tiwari

Author: Sanskar Tiwari

Founder at MagicSlides

Published

Quickly calculate totals in Google Sheets by learning how to easily sum up entire columns

How to Sum a Column in Google Sheets

Google Sheets makes handling numbers easy, especially when you need to add up a column of values.
Whether you're tracking expenses, sales, or any other numerical data, learning how to sum a column is a crucial skill. Google Sheets offers multiple simple ways to do this, saving you time and ensuring accuracy.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through step-by-step methods to quickly calculate the total of a column. By the end, you'll know how to use formulas and shortcuts to make your work much easier!

Step-by-Step Tutorial

Method 1: Using the SUM Function

  1. Open Your Google Sheet
      2. Launch Google Sheets and open the file where you want to sum a column.
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  1. Select an Empty Cell
      2. Click on the cell where you want the total to appear.
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  1. Type the SUM Formula
      2. Enter the formula:
      Replace A1:A10 with the range of cells you want to add.
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  1. Press Enter
      2. The total sum of the column range will now appear in the selected cell.
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Method 2: Using AutoSum Feature

  1. Select the Column Range
      2. Highlight the numbers you want to sum.
  1. Click on Insert > Function > SUM
      2. From the top menu, go to Insert, choose Function, then click SUM.
  1. Done!
      2. The sum will automatically appear in the cell below your selected range.

Conclusion

Adding up numbers in Google Sheets is simple once you know how to use the SUM function or AutoSum feature.
Whether you're budgeting, managing projects, or analyzing data, summing a column saves time and improves accuracy.
Practice these methods to make your spreadsheet work faster and smarter!

FAQs are here to guide!

Can I sum an entire column without specifying a range?

Yes, you can use a formula like =SUM(A:A) to sum all values in column A.

What happens if there are text entries in my column?

Google Sheets will ignore non-numeric cells when summing a range.

Can I sum only visible (filtered) rows?

Yes, use the SUBTOTAL function instead of SUM to add only visible rows.

How can I sum multiple non-adjacent columns?

Use the formula like =SUM(A1:A5, C1:C5) to sum different ranges at once.

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