Hi Earl,
Try this in column D:

=IF(B1+C1=A1,"*" & B1+C1 & "*",B1+C1)

"Earl" wrote:

I have four columns of data. The first is the maximum no. allowed, the second
is the last period total, the third is the current period total and the
fourth is the sum of two and three. The typical sum function works fine until
the fourth column equals the first, this is where I want to place an asterisk
before and after the sum. This would indicate that the vlue has reached it's
max.

Is this possible?

Thanks.