Add up figures in a Word Table

If you want to include a table with figures in a Word 2003 document without using Excel, Word can add one. You might be surprised to find that it can even do some basic sums using the numbers in a table.

For example, to add up a column of figures, move the cursor to the bottom cell in the column. Click on the Table menu and then on Formula. The default option in the window should be =SUM(ABOVE).

You can change the number format if you want depending on what the numbers being added together are. You can find some of the other commands by clicking on the Paste Function menu. Click on OK and the total will be displayed.

It is also possible to total the contents of a row rather than a column by replacing ABOVE with LEFT. In either case, be careful not to leave any gaps otherwise Word will only add up to the gap, not the whole row or column.