How it works.
The SUM function adds all the numbers that you specify as arguments. Each argument can be a range, a cell reference, an array, a constant, a formula, or the result of another function.
💡 In simple terms.
Adds up all the numbers in a selected group of cells to find the total sum.
Analogy
"Think of this like adding up all the coins you have in different jars to see your total savings."
Syntax guide.
=SUM(number1, [number2], ...)
Parameters
number1Required
The first number, cell reference, or range you want to sum.
number2Optional
Additional numbers, cell references, or ranges you want to sum (up to 255).
Interactive formula builder.
Fill in the input arguments below to construct your custom formula string. Copy it directly to paste into your Excel spreadsheets.
Generated Output
Best Practices
- You can select an entire column or row by clicking the header (e.g. B:B), which will sum everything in that column.
- SUM ignores blank cells and cells with text, preventing common addition errors.
Common Gotchas
- If any of the cells in the range contain error values (like #VALUE!), SUM will return that error. Use AGGREGATE or SUMIFS to ignore errors.