Another way to give the amount a nice format:
="Total cost of project: " & text(sum(a2:a10),"$#,##0.00")

But you could keep the value in the cell a number and use a custom format:
Put
=sum(a2:a10)
in the cell
Format|Cells|Number tab|custom|
"Total cost of project: " $#,##0.00





Office wrote:

if I wanted to have the word TOTAL or any other general text (eg Total cost
of project) then a formula that sums a number of values
total =SUM(A2:A10) in the SAME cell Everything I have tried to do this
either end up with the text staying and the formula doesn't calculate....or
the text is removed and the formula calculates
Your help would be greatly appreciated :)

--

Dave Peterson