Syntax
=SUM(value1, [value2, ...])
value1- The first number, cell or range to add.
value2, ...- Optional. Any number of extra values or ranges, separated by commas.
SUM function in Google Sheets
SUM is the most-used function in Google Sheets. It adds together every number you give it, whether that's a column, a block of cells, a handful of individual cells or a mix of all three.
Practice SUM
Task 1 of 3
Find the total number of visitors for the week. Put it in D2.
Tip: while typing a formula, click a cell or drag across cells to insert references. Press Enter to check, and Tab to accept a function suggestion.
SUM examples
Each example below runs against this sample sheet. The results are calculated by the same engine as the practice grid.
| A | B | C | D | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rep | Region | Product | Units | Revenue |
| 2 | Ava | West | Monitor | 12 | $2,400.00 |
| 3 | Liam | East | Keyboard | 30 | $1,500.00 |
| 4 | Maya | West | Mouse | 45 | $900.00 |
| 5 | Noah | North | Monitor | 8 | $1,600.00 |
| 6 | Zara | East | Monitor | 15 | $3,000.00 |
| 7 | Omar | West | Keyboard | 22 | $1,100.00 |
| Formula | Result | What it shows |
|---|---|---|
=SUM(E2:E7) | $10,500.00 | Total revenue across all reps. |
=SUM(D2:D7) | 132 | Total units sold. |
=SUM(D2:D4, D6) | 102 | Separate ranges and single cells can be mixed. |
=SUM(E:E) | $10,500.00 | A whole-column range. The text header is skipped automatically. |
Tips and common mistakes
- Text, blank cells and TRUE/FALSE values inside a range are ignored rather than causing an error.
- Numbers stored as text (often from imports, and usually left-aligned) are skipped too, which is a common cause of totals that look too low. Fix them with VALUE or Format › Number.
- Select a range and look at the bottom-right corner of the Sheets window to see a quick sum without writing a formula.
Related functions
Learning step by step? SUM is covered in Lesson 2: SUM Function of the free course.