How to Add Multiple Cells in Excel

Adding multiple cells in Excel can often feel like a daunting task, especially for those who are new to the software. Whether you are working on a complex spreadsheet for work or school, or simply trying to calculate the total budget for your household expenses, knowing how to add multiple cells in Excel is a crucial skill to have.

In this blog post, we will provide you with a brief and concise guide on how to add multiple cells in Excel in a few easy steps. You don’t need to be an expert to carry out the following steps. You will be able to apply the tips provided in this post to your daily Excel workflow, enabling you to increase your productivity and efficiency in no time.

Select the Cells to be Added

The first step in adding multiple cells in Excel is selecting the cells you want to sum. To do this, click and drag the cursor over the cells you want to add. Alternatively, you can hold the “Shift” key while using the arrow keys to select the cells. Once all the cells that need to be added are selected, you are ready to proceed.

Locate the AutoSum Function

Excel has many built-in functions that can be used to perform different operations. The function that will be used to add multiple cells in this guide is the AutoSum function. To locate this function, navigate to the “Home” tab and look for the “Editing” section. The AutoSum button will be located at the top left corner of this section.

Click on the AutoSum Function

After you have located the AutoSum button, click on it. After clicking the button, Excel will automatically fill in a formula, which should include all of your selected cells.

Press Enter

Once the formula is generated, press the “Enter” key to add up the values in the selected cells. It’s that simple! The sum will be displayed in the cell below the selected cells.

Bonus Tip: Using Keyboard Shortcuts

If you’re a fan of keyboard shortcuts, there’s a quick way to use the AutoSum function. After selecting the cells you want to sum, hold down the “Alt” key and press the “=” key. Excel will fill in the formula, and all you need to do is hit “Enter” to get the sum.

Using the SUM Function

The AutoSum function is a convenient tool for adding multiple cells, but it’s not the only way to do it. For more advanced operations, you can use the “SUM” function. To use the SUM function, simply type “=SUM(” into the cell where you want the total to appear, and then select the cells you want to add. Close the parenthesis and press “Enter” to display the sum. This function can be especially helpful when you need to add a large number of cells or apply filters to your data.

Summing Selected Cells Vertically and Horizontally

By default, the AutoSum function will add up selected cells vertically, from top to bottom. But what if you need to sum the cells horizontally, from left to right? No worries! It’s just as easy. Simply select the cells you want to add, and then use the “Alt” key and the “=” key together. Excel will apply the AutoSum function horizontally instead of vertically.

Adding Non-Adjacent Cells

What if you need to add cells that are not adjacent to each other? It’s still easy to do! Simply hold down the “Ctrl” key while selecting the cells you want to add. The cells will be highlighted in different colors to indicate that they are not adjacent. Then, follow the same steps mentioned earlier to apply the AutoSum function or type the SUM formula manually.

Using the SUMIF Function

The SUMIF function is another Excel function that can be used to add cells in Excel. This function allows you to add cells based on a certain condition. For example, if you only want to add the values in cells that meet a certain criteria, the SUMIF function can handle that for you. To use this function, type “=SUMIF(” into the cell where you want the total to appear, then select the range of cells you want to add, followed by the criteria on which you want to base the sum. Close the parenthesis, and you’re done!

Wrap Up

Being able to add multiple cells in Excel is a fundamental skill that all users should know. With the AutoSum function, SUM function, and SUMIF function, you can easily sum multiple cells whether they are adjacent or not, horizontally or vertically, and based on certain criteria. We hope this guide has been helpful to you and has increased your Excel proficiency. Happy calculating!

FAQs

Below are some frequently asked questions related to adding multiple cells in Excel:

How do I add a range of cells in Excel?

To add a range of cells in Excel, simply select the first cell, then click and drag the cursor over the rest of the cells you want to include in the sum. Alternatively, you can click on the first cell, hold down the “Shift” key, and then click on the last cell in the range you want to add.

How do I add up multiple columns in Excel?

You can add up multiple columns in Excel by using the SUM function. First, select the cell where you want the total to appear. Then, type “=SUM(” and select the cells you want to add up, using the Ctrl key to select non-adjacent cells if needed. Finally, close the parenthesis and press “Enter” to display the sum.

What is the keyboard shortcut for AutoSum in Excel?

The keyboard shortcut for AutoSum in Excel is “Alt + =”. Simply select the cell where you want the total to appear, press “Alt” and “=”, and Excel will automatically apply the AutoSum function to the selected cells.

Can I add up cells in Excel based on certain criteria?

Yes, you can use the SUMIF function in Excel to add up cells based on certain criteria. To do this, type “=SUMIF(” and enter the range of cells you want to add, followed by the criteria you want to use to determine which cells to sum. Close the parenthesis and press “Enter” to display the sum.

What if the AutoSum formula doesn’t include all the cells I want to add?

If the AutoSum formula doesn’t include all the cells you want to add, you can simply click and drag over the cells that were not included to add them to the formula. Alternatively, you can manually edit the formula to include the missing cells.