Excel's AutoSum tool is used to automatically generate formulas. It is found in two locations on the ribbon: firstly in the Editing section of the Home Tab; and, secondly in the Function Library section of the Formulas Tab.
The AutoSum tool is fairly versatile. You can use it to generate the SUM (total) of a series of numbers. To do this, select a row of cells and click on the AutoSum tool. Excel creates a SUM formula returning the total of the highlighted cells in the first available empty cell to the right of the selected range. You can then copy the formula using the Autofill handle. As you drag the AutoFill handle down, Excel copies the formula making the necessary changes to always return the correct total for each row.
The AutoSum tool can also be used to return the total of several columns simultaneously. To do this, just select all the data in each of the columns you wish to total and then click once on the AutoSum tool. Excel generates a formula at the bottom of each column in the first empty cell.
Clicking on the AutoSum tool always creates a formula using the SUM function which returns the total of a given range of cells. However it can also be used with other functions: for example, AVERAGE. To access the other functions, click on the drop-down menu to the right of the AutoSum tool, select the appropriate function and then check to ensure that Excel has correctly guessed the range of cells you want to use as the argument of the function.
If Excel has guessed wrong, you can correct it: either by entering the correct reference; or just resize the selection rectangle until it encloses the correct range of cells then press the Enter key or click the Enter button to the left of the formula bar. The formula can then be replicated using the AutoFill handle.
The AVERAGE function often tends to generated a number containing several decimal places. If you would like a consistent number of decimals, click the Launch button in the Number section of the Home Tab, select "Number" as the category and then enter the number of decimal places you like.
The other functions available on the AutoSum tool are COUNT ( the number of cells in the highlighted range containing numbers); MAX (the highest value in the range); and MIN (the lowest value). The final option in the AutoSum tool drop-down menu says "Other Functions". This gives you access to Excel's complete range of functions.
The AutoSum tool is fairly versatile. You can use it to generate the SUM (total) of a series of numbers. To do this, select a row of cells and click on the AutoSum tool. Excel creates a SUM formula returning the total of the highlighted cells in the first available empty cell to the right of the selected range. You can then copy the formula using the Autofill handle. As you drag the AutoFill handle down, Excel copies the formula making the necessary changes to always return the correct total for each row.
The AutoSum tool can also be used to return the total of several columns simultaneously. To do this, just select all the data in each of the columns you wish to total and then click once on the AutoSum tool. Excel generates a formula at the bottom of each column in the first empty cell.
Clicking on the AutoSum tool always creates a formula using the SUM function which returns the total of a given range of cells. However it can also be used with other functions: for example, AVERAGE. To access the other functions, click on the drop-down menu to the right of the AutoSum tool, select the appropriate function and then check to ensure that Excel has correctly guessed the range of cells you want to use as the argument of the function.
If Excel has guessed wrong, you can correct it: either by entering the correct reference; or just resize the selection rectangle until it encloses the correct range of cells then press the Enter key or click the Enter button to the left of the formula bar. The formula can then be replicated using the AutoFill handle.
The AVERAGE function often tends to generated a number containing several decimal places. If you would like a consistent number of decimals, click the Launch button in the Number section of the Home Tab, select "Number" as the category and then enter the number of decimal places you like.
The other functions available on the AutoSum tool are COUNT ( the number of cells in the highlighted range containing numbers); MAX (the highest value in the range); and MIN (the lowest value). The final option in the AutoSum tool drop-down menu says "Other Functions". This gives you access to Excel's complete range of functions.
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