COMPUTER TIPS & ARTICLES

Instant Totals in Excel

Let's say you have a basic sheet where you want totals of columns and rows. For example, you have an expense sheet where you want to add types of expenses and you want to add the expenses in each month.

Cells B:2, C:2, D:2 and E:2 are labeled October, November, December, and Total and A:3, A:4, A:5, A:6, A:7 and A:8 are labeled Telephone, Airfare, Parking, Meals, Postage and Total. Cells B:3 through D:7 show the dollars you spent.

Here's all you have to do: select all 15 numbers, plus the blank Total column and the blank Total row -- from B:3 through E:8. Then click the AutoSum tool (it looks like an M turned sideways in the toolbar) or press Alt + = (equal sign). Instant Totals! The last column and the last row will contain column totals and row totals, and you didn't have to write a single formula! Sweet :)

How long do your co-workers take to calculate this sheet?