Excel Sum Function Tutorial

Calculating the sum of numbers

The sum function lets you add up numbers from multiple cells that you select, and can save you much time and effort.

At first you may find yourself using the Sigma button from the ribbon, but as you become more proficient in Excel you’ll be able to craft your own custom formulas.

Sum is one of the more simple formulas and you can use it to practice some of the more basic features of Excel mathematics, such as cell use and parentheses.

Note that the cells used in a Sum formula do not need to be contiguous or adjacent - they can be from anywhere on the spreadsheet! The destination cell, that is, where you want the answer to appear, can also be located anywhere on the spreadsheet.