Excel "=SUM" formula does not add up numbers correctly

Anonymous
2013-04-02T16:39:01+00:00

I have an Excel formula issue in the formula not resulting in the correct sum, but it is not a rounding error; rather it is off by an entire cell amount. As an example, I was adding eight cells with the value of $3,001.53 which should have resulted in a total of $24,012.24, but instead I got $21,010.71 (off by one cell value). I triple-checked to make sure that the formula included all cell addresses I was trying to add, which it did. I tried deleting the formula and doing it over again, saving the spread sheet as different versions of Excel, putting the formula in a different cell location, all to no avail. There were other similar errors in the spread sheet. FYI, I am not adding concecutive cells, rather, selecting certain cells using Ctrl, left click.

I'm using Excel 2010 Version 14.1.6129.5000 (32-bit).

Please advise.

Microsoft 365 and Office | Excel | For home | Windows

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments No comments

43 answers

Sort by: Oldest
  1. Anonymous
    2016-03-19T17:08:49+00:00

    "It's happening to me when I copy some cells into a table"  From where are you copying? The problem should not occur if you are coping form another Excel file but who knows what you pick up when you copy from a webpage - could be odd spaces after numbers turning them to text.

    Let's us have the full picture. If possible post files to OneDrive so we can experiment

    best wishes

    Was this answer helpful?

    1 person found this answer helpful.
    0 comments No comments
  2. Deleted

    This answer has been deleted due to a violation of our Code of Conduct. The answer was manually reported or identified through automated detection before action was taken. Please refer to our Code of Conduct for more information.


    Comments have been turned off. Learn more

  3. Anonymous
    2016-06-29T10:02:01+00:00

    I have the same issue, but I have had these formulas set up for years. All of a sudden today I notice this problem. I use excel extensively for budgetary reason. I appreciate trying to be helpful, but why should I have to change my format to general, and it is definitely not a text.  I'm not the greatest computer lit guy around, but having said the above, can anyone explain this? I was recently forced to accept windows 10, could this be part of the problem? Additionally, I opened a new excel sheet created the formulas and the addition formula works fine. Correctly.  Can anyone tell me how do I save my original sheets and formulas without having to redo everything?  Is that what future changes are going to be like?  I also noticed on my sheet, If I put the cursor on the formula bar up top  without disturbing the formula and hit enter. The sum formula works. I hope this is a glitch on there part and fix this. Anyone know who I can contact about this or what to do? Thank You.

    Was this answer helpful?

    3 people found this answer helpful.
    0 comments No comments
  4. Anonymous
    2017-04-21T19:36:34+00:00

    <removed>

    I have been using Excel for almost twenty years, as a construction estimator I use Excel daily and I depend on Excel for income. If Excel is not functioning correctly I lose income.

     Using Excel 2016. This same error, where cells are SUM to zero instead of the actual sum occurred in Excel internally. I did nothing to cause it. It started when I noticed my SUM cell was not changing. I tried to fix the cell and now I get Zero. Tried new cells, new locations and the same failed results.

     When selecting cell, the SUM in the lower right is correct. But the AutoSum still will not work. I have forty tabs with forty estimates and all their sums link to a summary tab. I can’t afford this. I don’t have the time; my bid is due. I require Excel to function correctly.

    Have checked: Cells are formatted correctly, no hidden rows (bad idea with estimates), File>Options>Formulas>Workbook Calculation>Automatic was checked, and there is not tiny yellow diamond.

    Microsoft needs to fix this.

    Was this answer helpful?

    10 people found this answer helpful.
    0 comments No comments
  5. Anonymous
    2017-04-22T16:11:39+00:00

    Hi,

    We recommend that you try this article: SUM function. This link provides information and troubleshooting steps. If the link provided does not resolve the issue, we suggest that you try to open Office apps in safe mode on a Windows PC and check if the issue still persist.

    Let us know how it goes.

    Was this answer helpful?

    1 person found this answer helpful.
    0 comments No comments