The SUM function returns the sum of all values.
This is one of the most common and useful functions, allowing you to quickly and efficiently sum data.
Syntax
SUM(value1, [value2, ... ])
Argument |
Description |
Permitted values |
|---|---|---|
value1 |
First number or range to add |
Any numerical ranges or arrays |
[value2, ...] |
(optional) Additional numbers or ranges to add to the value of the “value1” argument |
Similar to the first argument |
Examples of use
Summing a range of cells
If cells A1:A5 contain numbers, the result of the expression
=SUM(A1:A5)
will be the sum of the values in the range A1:A5.
Summing individual numbers
=SUM(10, 20, 30)
Result: 60.
Summing numbers in multiple ranges
=SUM(A1:A5, B1:B5)
Result: the sum of the values in ranges A1:A5 and B1:B5.
Notes
The SUM function ignores empty cells and cells containing text.