I Need to Understand Running Total Sum Formulas

[zotah]

I Need to Understand Running Total Sum Formulas. I'm using Excel 2010. and I'm typing in the basic correct formula to arrive at a running total for each ajacent cell to the left of it.

I put in the correct formula in Cell (B1) of Sum=(A1)

I then put in the correct formula in Cell (B2) Sum=(A1:A2) I then highlight the A1 part of the formula with an F4 Key to lock it in.

I then drag the B2 Cell all the way down the excel page to capture all of my running total coming from the (A) Column just to the left of my formula.

I've been doing this many times and the funning thing is I get the exact correct answers I'm looking for and I'm very happy. However. my question is one of learning and curiosity.

Why even though I'm getting the answers I want in the running total does it put an error message in each of the correct answers in each of the cells in the (B) column where I put my formulas.

I tryed to delete the error message spot but I don't know how to delete all of the error spots without going into each cell one by one.

So my question is what am I doing wrong in my formula that's giving me the correct answers but yet Excel is still telling me I have an error?

and how can I get rid of all the error message out of each cell without having to click on each cell one by one to do it when I might have over 500 or more cells to click on.

Thanks for any help you can give me on this one.

Zotah

 

[oldbrewer]

in, for example B3, you need =sum(A1:A3)

so in B1 the formula is =sum($a$1:a1)

just drag that down

 

[zotah]

in, for example B3, you need =sum(A1:A3)

so in B1 the formula is =sum($a$1:a1)

just drag that down

I guess I'm not understanding your answer here. I'm getting the right answer for myself already. What am I doing wrong to get the error messages that I'm getting based on how I'm typing out my running total formula's

Thanks

 

[oldbrewer]

I put in the correct formula in Cell (B1) of Sum=(A1)

try =sum(A1) although =A1 ok for fist cell

I then put in the correct formula in Cell (B2) Sum=(A1:A2)

try =sum(A1:A2) and remember you only want to lock A1 see my reply #2

 

[zotah]

I put in the correct formula in Cell (B1) of Sum=(A1)

try =sum(A1) although =A1 ok for fist cell

I then put in the correct formula in Cell (B2) Sum=(A1:A2)

try =sum(A1:A2) and remember you only want to lock A1 see my reply #2

I don't even think sum=(>>>) even works. That's was my fault when I wrote the question. That sum=() was a typo mistake I made. I did in fact type the formula in correctly in my excel sheet. and the formula does in fact work correctly. However, do you have any idea what is making the error message links when I am getting the correct answers already?

Thanks
Zotah

 

[oldbrewer]

Why even though I'm getting the answers I want in the running total does it put an error message in each of the correct answers in each of the cells in the (B) column where I put my formulas.

I tryed to delete the error message spot but I don't know how to delete all of the error spots without going into each cell one by one.

What is an error message spot - I have never heard of it. What does it look like. copy a tiny bit of spreadsheet and paste it in here please

 

[zotah]

Why even though I'm getting the answers I want in the running total does it put an error message in each of the correct answers in each of the cells in the (B) column where I put my formulas.

I tryed to delete the error message spot but I don't know how to delete all of the error spots without going into each cell one by one.

What is an error message spot - I have never heard of it. What does it look like. copy a tiny bit of spreadsheet and paste it in here please

I can't paste in the picture of my excel sheet into this input box here. So let me try to explain

go to your excel 2010 version and open up a blank excel sheet

Type in this for an example and see if you can reproduce the (error spots) I'm talking about.

Go to A Column and type =sum(J2:j3) exactly

Go to the second square below the first square of the cell directly below where you typed =sum(J2:J3) and type =sum(J1:J2) then click enter.

Now highlight both A1 and A2 cells and drag them down the page. Since excel doesn't understand what you are trying to computate it will give you (little error spots) on every other cell down the page it will look like a colored dot in the upper left corner of the cell.

When you click on the square that accomodates the dots you will get a choice to delete the error or see if excel can give you ideas of how to fix the error.

I call these dots (Error Spots) But you can call them anything you want.

Thanks
Zotah

 

[OnTheRange]

It's simply telling you that you have an inconsistent formula because you're going from J2:J3 to J1:J2 and then back up to J4:J5. A consistent formula, for example would go J2:J3 to J3:J4 to J4:J5 and so on. It's not necessarily telling you it's an error but rather just pointing out the possibility. You can get rid of the "error spots" by going to the Formulas tool bar, select error checking, and then select ignore this error.

 

[zotah]

It's simply telling you that you have an inconsistent formula because you're going from J2:J3 to J1:J2 and then back up to J4:J5. A consistent formula, for example would go J2:J3 to J3:J4 to J4:J5 and so on. It's not necessarily telling you it's an error but rather just pointing out the possibility. You can get rid of the "error spots" by going to the Formulas tool bar, select error checking, and then select ignore this error.

That is exactily what I needed to know all along. Thanks.

I didn't know before you told me that there was an easier way to get rid of the error spots.

Like you said, I went to the Formulas Tool Bar and clicked on the Error checking drop down and got the box that I removed all the error spots from.

Thanks so much,
Zotah

 

[oldbrewer]

I run excel 2000 and on this version it copies the formulas down correctly and there are no error spots - but I have learned something also about error checking