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FJ FJ is offline
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Default =+SUM

Hi, I have a question: I was given a spreadsheet to work on and all the SUM
formulas have the following format: =+SUM(A1:A10). I have never seen this
before. Does the + sign before SUM mean anything and if so, what? It
doesnt seem to make a difference when it is removed. Sorry if this is a
really basic question. I have just never seen this before and I am curious.

Thanks in advance for any information.
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Default =+SUM

I believe the standard answer for the + is that its a throwback to the Lotus
1 2 3 days. I works but is not needed in Excel. Discard at your pleasure

HTH
Regards,
Howard

"FJ" wrote in message
...
Hi, I have a question: I was given a spreadsheet to work on and all the
SUM
formulas have the following format: =+SUM(A1:A10). I have never seen
this
before. Does the + sign before SUM mean anything and if so, what? It
doesn't seem to make a difference when it is removed. Sorry if this is a
really basic question. I have just never seen this before and I am
curious.

Thanks in advance for any information.



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Default =+SUM

The plus sign was used to enter a formula in other spreadsheet applications
like Lotus 123. Some of those old spreadsheet users do it by force of habit.
Excel accepts it for compatibility but it has no effect one way or another.

Try entering this formula in Excel in cell B1:

+SUM(A1:A10)

Excel will simply add the equal sign to the formula:

=+SUM(A1:A10)

--
Biff
Microsoft Excel MVP


"FJ" wrote in message
...
Hi, I have a question: I was given a spreadsheet to work on and all the
SUM
formulas have the following format: =+SUM(A1:A10). I have never seen
this
before. Does the + sign before SUM mean anything and if so, what? It
doesn't seem to make a difference when it is removed. Sorry if this is a
really basic question. I have just never seen this before and I am
curious.

Thanks in advance for any information.



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Posts: 8,856
Default =+SUM

I've always considered this to be lazy programming on the part of the
Excel developers. When you enter something into a cell and press
<enter Excel then needs to make sense of what you have typed. All
formulae in Excel begin with =, which makes it easy to distinguish a
formula from other types of entry. Earlier spreadsheets did not follow
this convention, however, so you could type a formula with a leading
arithmetic operator (like +), or with an @ symbol to denote a
function. You can still use these within Excel, but Excel will put an
= in front of what you have typed. The leading + is redundant, but
Excel does not remove it, although when you type a formula like:

@left(a1,2)

Excel will convert this to:

=LEFT(A1,2)

so it is capable of removing some of your text (and of changing
function names and cell references to upper case, etc). The + is a
hangover from earlier times and can be ignored (and Excel should get
rid of it).

Pete

On Feb 18, 12:31*am, FJ wrote:
Hi, I have a question: *I was given a spreadsheet to work on and all the SUM
formulas have the following format: *=+SUM(A1:A10). *I have never seen this
before. *Does the + sign before SUM mean anything and if so, what? *It
doesn’t seem to make a difference when it is removed. *Sorry if this is a
really basic question. *I have just never seen this before and I am curious.

Thanks in advance for any information.


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Default =+SUM

The + sign was placed there by someone who used to work with Lotus which
uses the + sign instead of the = sign and has not yet adjusted to Excel.

Or someone who prefers to use the numpad for entering formulas.

In Excel if you enter +A1 in a cell it will be turned into =+A1

It is not necessary but does no harm.


Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP

On Wed, 17 Feb 2010 16:31:02 -0800, FJ wrote:

Hi, I have a question: I was given a spreadsheet to work on and all the SUM
formulas have the following format: =+SUM(A1:A10). I have never seen this
before. Does the + sign before SUM mean anything and if so, what? It
doesn’t seem to make a difference when it is removed. Sorry if this is a
really basic question. I have just never seen this before and I am curious.

Thanks in advance for any information.




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FJ FJ is offline
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Posts: 90
Default =+SUM

Hi, thank you very much for your response. :)


"T. Valko" wrote:

The plus sign was used to enter a formula in other spreadsheet applications
like Lotus 123. Some of those old spreadsheet users do it by force of habit.
Excel accepts it for compatibility but it has no effect one way or another.

Try entering this formula in Excel in cell B1:

+SUM(A1:A10)

Excel will simply add the equal sign to the formula:

=+SUM(A1:A10)

--
Biff
Microsoft Excel MVP


"FJ" wrote in message
...
Hi, I have a question: I was given a spreadsheet to work on and all the
SUM
formulas have the following format: =+SUM(A1:A10). I have never seen
this
before. Does the + sign before SUM mean anything and if so, what? It
doesn't seem to make a difference when it is removed. Sorry if this is a
really basic question. I have just never seen this before and I am
curious.

Thanks in advance for any information.



.

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FJ FJ is offline
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Posts: 90
Default =+SUM

Hi, thank you very much for your response. :)


"L. Howard Kittle" wrote:

I believe the standard answer for the + is that its a throwback to the Lotus
1 2 3 days. I works but is not needed in Excel. Discard at your pleasure

HTH
Regards,
Howard

"FJ" wrote in message
...
Hi, I have a question: I was given a spreadsheet to work on and all the
SUM
formulas have the following format: =+SUM(A1:A10). I have never seen
this
before. Does the + sign before SUM mean anything and if so, what? It
doesn't seem to make a difference when it is removed. Sorry if this is a
really basic question. I have just never seen this before and I am
curious.

Thanks in advance for any information.



.

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FJ FJ is offline
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Posts: 90
Default =+SUM

Hi, thank you for the information. :)


"Pete_UK" wrote:

I've always considered this to be lazy programming on the part of the
Excel developers. When you enter something into a cell and press
<enter Excel then needs to make sense of what you have typed. All
formulae in Excel begin with =, which makes it easy to distinguish a
formula from other types of entry. Earlier spreadsheets did not follow
this convention, however, so you could type a formula with a leading
arithmetic operator (like +), or with an @ symbol to denote a
function. You can still use these within Excel, but Excel will put an
= in front of what you have typed. The leading + is redundant, but
Excel does not remove it, although when you type a formula like:

@left(a1,2)

Excel will convert this to:

=LEFT(A1,2)

so it is capable of removing some of your text (and of changing
function names and cell references to upper case, etc). The + is a
hangover from earlier times and can be ignored (and Excel should get
rid of it).

Pete

On Feb 18, 12:31 am, FJ wrote:
Hi, I have a question: I was given a spreadsheet to work on and all the SUM
formulas have the following format: =+SUM(A1:A10). I have never seen this
before. Does the + sign before SUM mean anything and if so, what? It
doesnt seem to make a difference when it is removed. Sorry if this is a
really basic question. I have just never seen this before and I am curious.

Thanks in advance for any information.


.

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FJ FJ is offline
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Posts: 90
Default =+SUM

Hi, thank you for the information. :)



"Gord Dibben" wrote:

The + sign was placed there by someone who used to work with Lotus which
uses the + sign instead of the = sign and has not yet adjusted to Excel.

Or someone who prefers to use the numpad for entering formulas.

In Excel if you enter +A1 in a cell it will be turned into =+A1

It is not necessary but does no harm.


Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP

On Wed, 17 Feb 2010 16:31:02 -0800, FJ wrote:

Hi, I have a question: I was given a spreadsheet to work on and all the SUM
formulas have the following format: =+SUM(A1:A10). I have never seen this
before. Does the + sign before SUM mean anything and if so, what? It
doesnt seem to make a difference when it is removed. Sorry if this is a
really basic question. I have just never seen this before and I am curious.

Thanks in advance for any information.


.

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Default =+SUM

You're welcome - thanks for feeding back.

Pete

On Feb 18, 2:07*am, FJ wrote:
Hi, thank you for the information. :)



"Pete_UK" wrote:
I've always considered this to be lazy programming on the part of the
Excel developers. When you enter something into a cell and press
<enter Excel then needs to make sense of what you have typed. All
formulae in Excel begin with =, which makes it easy to distinguish a
formula from other types of entry. Earlier spreadsheets did not follow
this convention, however, so you could type a formula with a leading
arithmetic operator (like +), or with an @ symbol to denote a
function. You can still use these within Excel, but Excel will put an
= in front of what you have typed. The leading + is redundant, but
Excel does not remove it, although when you type a formula like:


@left(a1,2)


Excel will convert this to:


=LEFT(A1,2)


so it is capable of removing some of your text (and of changing
function names and cell references to upper case, etc). The + is a
hangover from earlier times and can be ignored (and Excel should get
rid of it).


Pete


On Feb 18, 12:31 am, FJ wrote:
Hi, I have a question: *I was given a spreadsheet to work on and all the SUM
formulas have the following format: *=+SUM(A1:A10). *I have never seen this
before. *Does the + sign before SUM mean anything and if so, what? *It
doesn’t seem to make a difference when it is removed. *Sorry if this is a
really basic question. *I have just never seen this before and I am curious.


Thanks in advance for any information.


.- Hide quoted text -


- Show quoted text -




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Default =+SUM

You're welcome!

--
Biff
Microsoft Excel MVP


"FJ" wrote in message
...
Hi, thank you very much for your response. :)


"T. Valko" wrote:

The plus sign was used to enter a formula in other spreadsheet
applications
like Lotus 123. Some of those old spreadsheet users do it by force of
habit.
Excel accepts it for compatibility but it has no effect one way or
another.

Try entering this formula in Excel in cell B1:

+SUM(A1:A10)

Excel will simply add the equal sign to the formula:

=+SUM(A1:A10)

--
Biff
Microsoft Excel MVP


"FJ" wrote in message
...
Hi, I have a question: I was given a spreadsheet to work on and all
the
SUM
formulas have the following format: =+SUM(A1:A10). I have never seen
this
before. Does the + sign before SUM mean anything and if so, what? It
doesn't seem to make a difference when it is removed. Sorry if this is
a
really basic question. I have just never seen this before and I am
curious.

Thanks in advance for any information.



.



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Default =+SUM

"+" sign is near to numeric pad and that's why often used instead of "="
If you would insert a formula like:
+sum(1,1)
it would automatically convert to:
=+sum(1,1)
--
Thanx & Best Regards,

Faraz!


"FJ" wrote:

Hi, I have a question: I was given a spreadsheet to work on and all the SUM
formulas have the following format: =+SUM(A1:A10). I have never seen this
before. Does the + sign before SUM mean anything and if so, what? It
doesnt seem to make a difference when it is removed. Sorry if this is a
really basic question. I have just never seen this before and I am curious.

Thanks in advance for any information.

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Posts: 1
Default =+SUM

On Thursday, February 18, 2010 at 11:51:01 AM UTC+3, Faraz A. Qureshi wrote:
"+" sign is near to numeric pad and that's why often used instead of "="
If you would insert a formula like:
+sum(1,1)
it would automatically convert to:
=+sum(1,1)
--
Thanx & Best Regards,

Faraz!


"FJ" wrote:

Hi, I have a question: I was given a spreadsheet to work on and all the SUM
formulas have the following format: =+SUM(A1:A10). I have never seen this
before. Does the + sign before SUM mean anything and if so, what? It
doesnt seem to make a difference when it is removed. Sorry if this is a
really basic question. I have just never seen this before and I am curious.

Thanks in advance for any information.


thnks ....... ......its a simple answer for that question..... so that we can + instead of =
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