Sum a Table Column in Word
Plus insert more complex formulas
Word allows you to calculate the sum of a column in a table, just like you would in a spreadsheet program like Excel. This post will show you how to do this in Word 2003, 2007, and 2010/2013/2016. As an example, we will total a column of decimal numbers.
Word 2007 thru 2016
Open Word and put the cursor in the blank cell at the bottom of the column that has the numbers you want to sum.
TheTable Toolstabs become available. Click theLayouttab.
Click theFormulabutton in theDatagroup.
The correct formula is automatically inserted into theFormulaedit box on theFormuladialog box. I selected0.00from theNumber formatdrop-down list to format the number the same way the other numbers in the column are formatted. Depending on your data, you can pick a different number format.
ClickOKto accept the settings.
The formula field is inserted into the cell and the total is automatically calculated and displayed. If you change any of the numbers in theAmountcolumn, right-click on the total and selectUpdate Fieldfrom the popup menu to update the total. You can also pressF9while a field is selected to update it.
There is one big caveat when using formulas like this in Word. The data should all be contiguous, meaning there should be no breaks in the data. For example, take a look at the data below. For the month of March, there is no data in the second column.
So instead of summing everything from Jan to June, it’s only summing the values from April thru June. Now if I put a 0 in the cell and update the field, then it gives me the correct answer I was looking for.
Obviously, keep this in mind and check your the results to make sure they are correct. These types of problems don’t normally occur in Excel because you have to specify exactly which cells you want to perform the calculations on, but in Word, that’s not the case.
You may also notice that you don’t see anAutoSumbutton on the WordLayouttab or any of the other tabs. This feature is available in Word, but it is not on any of the ribbon tabs. To have access to it, you must add it to theQuick Accesstoolbar. To do this, click theOfficebutton and click theWord Optionsbutton. In newer versions of Word, click onFileand thenOptions.
Select theCustomizeoption from the list on the left side of theWord Optionsdialog box. Newer versions of Word, you have to selectQuick Access Toolbar.
SelectCommands Not in the Ribbonfrom theChoose commands fromdrop-down list.
Scroll down in the list below theChoose commands fromdrop-down list until you find theSumcommand. Select it and click theAddbutton. This adds theSumcommand to the list of commands on theQuick Access Toolbaron the right side of theWord Optionsdialog box.
ClickOKon theWord Optionsdialog box to close it. TheSumcommand displays as a button on theQuick Access Toolbar. You can click theSumbutton when the cursor is in the last cell of theAmountcolumn of the table discussed earlier to total the numbers in the column.
Unfortunately, you cannot customize the ribbon tabs in Word directly. More tips about customizing and using commands from the ribbon bar are discussed in our post,Customize the MS Office Ribbon.
Word 2003
Below is an example table we will use to show you how to total a column of numbers in a table in Word 2003. To sum the numbers in theAmountcolumn, put the cursor in the last cell in that column.
SelectFormulafrom theTablemenu.
TheFormulaedit box on theFormuladialog box is automatically filled in with the appropriate formula. We will format the total the same way the numbers are formatted in theAmountcolumn. Select0.00from theNumber formatdrop-down list.
ClickOKto accept your settings.
The total is entered into the last cell in theAmountcolumn.
That’s about it! It’s worth noting that you can insert more complex formulas into the formula box if you like, but Word doesn’t support all of the formulas that are supported by Excel, so don’t be surprised if you try an Excel formula and you get an error. To see a list of all formulas you can use in Word, check out thislist from Microsoftby scrolling down to the available functions section. Enjoy!
Founder of Help Desk Geek and managing editor. He began blogging in 2007 and quit his job in 2010 to blog full-time. He has over 15 years of industry experience in IT and holds several technical certifications.Read Aseem’s Full Bio
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