Microsoft Excel 2007 is a powerful spreadsheet program, capable of performing extremely complicated calculations. However, if you're new to Excel, the many available functions can seem a bit daunting at first.

If you just want to know how to sum a row or column of cells, Excel makes it very easy for you by providing several options that will automatically sum your data range. The good news is that whichever you choose, the sum methods are the same whether you're adding rows or columns.


This How-to Guide shows some basic steps for summing rows or columns of cells on the same worksheet.

Step 1:
Sum a row or column using AutoSum:

Click into the empty cell at the end of your row or column of data. Look for the ‘Editing’ group on the ‘Home’ tab. Click on the arrow next to AutoSum and choose ‘Sum’ or just click on AutoSum. Excel automatically highlights the cells in the same row or column. If these are the cells you wish to sum, press enter or return and your total will be displayed in the cell.

Step 2:
Sum a row or column using the function tool:

Click into the empty cell at the end of your row or column of data. Now click on the function button (the fx symbol above the column letters). A pop up menu will appear with ‘SUM’ already highlighted. Click OK. In the formula bar and in the current cell, Excel will supply the range of cells to be summed. If this is correct, click OK in the pop up menu and your total will be displayed.

Step 3:
Sum a row or column by manually typing the formula:

You can sum a row or column by typing in the exact same formula provided by Steps 1 and 2. Click in the empty cell at the end of the row or column of data. Type in: =SUM( range of data) ie =SUM(A1:A6) for a row or =SUM(A2:A7) for a column, then press return.

Step 4:
Sum a row or column of non-consecutive numbers:

If you don’t want to sum every figure in your row of cells, you can enter specific cells into your formula. For instance, a row of data ranging from A2 to F2 you may want to add only three cells together. In this case, click into any empty cell and type in the exact cells you wish to sum. For example: =SUM(A2+C2+E2) would only sum those three cells.

What You Will Need 

• MS Excel 2007 
• A computer 
• A set of data 
• A mouse (optional) 

Tips and Warnings 

• Be careful if you’re summing a row using the AutoSum functions as they will automatically select the data above rather than the cells in your row. 
• You will need to manually type the required range of data into the cell. Any data value changed will be automatically updated in your summed total.