have never used formulas in excel before and am battling a bit.

I am trying to add just one simple column of numbers but am having no luck.

I double click on the cell where I want the total to be and then click on
auto sum, then 'highlight' the cells I want to be added up and then press
enter.

The answer I receive is =SUM(H4:H31) which is the correct span of cells.

Why is it not giving me the total in numbers?

Please help I am going crazy!!

pippawl,

I assume that you are getting the formula returned in the cell instead of
the number that you were expecting. This suggests that the cell was
formatted as text before you entered the formula.

Try deleting the fromula, re-formatting the cell as General:
Format Cells Number General
then single clicking into the cell and then clicking on Autosum,
highlighting the range and the pressing Enter.

However, it is just as easy - no, it is easier - for you to bild the formula
yourself:

single click into the cell and type:

=sum(
then highlight the rage that you want and Excel will wter the range for you:

=SUM(C8:C16
then add the closing bracket and press enter:

=SUM(C8:C16)


--
HTH

Sandy
In Perth, the ancient capital of Scotland
and the crowning place of kings


with @tiscali.co.uk


"pippawl" wrote in message
...

have never used formulas in excel before and am battling a bit.

I am trying to add just one simple column of numbers but am having no
luck.

I double click on the cell where I want the total to be and then click
on
auto sum, then 'highlight' the cells I want to be added up and then
press
enter.

The answer I receive is =SUM(H4:H31) which is the correct span of
cells.

Why is it not giving me the total in numbers?

Please help I am going crazy!!




--
pippawl

Sandy Mann wrote:
pippawl,

I assume that you are getting the formula returned in the cell instead of
the number that you were expecting. This suggests that the cell was
formatted as text before you entered the formula.

Try deleting the fromula, re-formatting the cell as General:
Format Cells Number General
then single clicking into the cell and then clicking on Autosum,
highlighting the range and the pressing Enter.

However, it is just as easy - no, it is easier - for you to bild the formula
yourself:

single click into the cell and type:

=sum(
then highlight the rage that you want and Excel will wter the range for you:

=SUM(C8:C16
then add the closing bracket and press enter:

=SUM(C8:C16)


It is really not necessary to erase and rebuild the formula. Just
erase the = sign, go to format/cell check *number* and pick the decimal
places and thousands , hit enter. Replace the = sign and hit enter and
the number should appear. If you are doing this elsewhere, change
the formatting on the entire range you intend to use before
constructing the formula.

ed

Easier yet.

Erase nothing.

Format to General or Number then F2 and ENTER


Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP

On 6 Sep 2006 13:33:11 -0700, "ed" wrote:

It is really not necessary to erase and rebuild the formula. Just
erase the = sign, go to format/cell check *number* and pick the decimal
places and thousands , hit enter. Replace the = sign and hit enter and
the number should appear. If you are doing this elsewhere, change
the formatting on the entire range you intend to use before
constructing the formula.