Adding up numbers is the first thing most people want from a spreadsheet, and the SUM function in Google Sheets is the fastest way to do it. Point it at a range and it hands back the total.
This article walks through five practical examples, from totaling a single column to summing only the rows that match a condition. Each one uses a small dataset you can recreate in seconds.
SUM Function Syntax in Google Sheets
Here is how the function is put together.
=SUM(value1, [value2, ...])
- value1 is the first number, cell, or range you want to add.
- value2, … are optional extra numbers, cells, or ranges. You can keep adding more, separated by commas.
You can mix and match. A single range, several ranges, individual cells, or plain numbers typed right into the formula all work.
When to Use SUM Function
SUM fits almost any time you need a total. A few common cases:
- Totaling a column of expenses, sales, or quantities.
- Adding up a block of numbers that spans several columns.
- Combining a few specific cells that are scattered around the sheet.
- Building a grand total at the bottom of a report.
- Feeding the total of a filtered list into another calculation.
Example 1: Add Up a Single Column of Numbers
The most common job for SUM is totaling one column.
Below is the dataset. Column A lists office supply items and column B holds the amount spent on each one.
You want the total spend across all five items.
Here is the formula:
=SUM(B2:B6)
The formula adds every value in the range B2 to B6. The total spend comes to 50.
That is the whole pattern. Give SUM a range and it returns the sum of every number inside it.
Pro Tip: Instead of typing the range, click the first cell and drag to the last one. Google Sheets fills in the reference for you.
Example 2: Total a Two-Dimensional Block of Cells
SUM is not limited to a single column.
Below is the dataset. Column A lists regions, and columns B and C hold the January and February figures for each region.
You want one combined total for both months across all three regions.
Here is the formula:
=SUM(B2:C4)
The range B2:C4 is a rectangular block covering six cells. SUM adds every number inside that block.
It does not matter that the values sit across two columns. The grand total is 525.
Example 3: Add Specific Cells That Are Not Next to Each Other
Sometimes you only want a few cells, not a whole range.
Below is the dataset. Column A lists four months and column B holds the sales for each.
You want only the January and March numbers added together, skipping the months in between.
Here is the formula:
=SUM(B2, B4)
Each cell goes in as its own argument, separated by a comma. SUM adds B2 and B4 only.
The other rows are left out entirely. The result is 500.
Example 4: SUM Ignores Text and Blank Cells
Real data is rarely clean, so this example uses a messy column.
Below is the dataset. Column B holds a mix of numbers, a text entry, and an empty cell.
You want the total of just the numbers, without an error from the stray text.
Here is the formula:
=SUM(B2:B6)
SUM quietly skips anything that is not a number. The text cell and the blank cell are both ignored.
Only the three real values get added, so the total is 35. No error, no cleanup needed.
Example 5: Sum Only Rows That Match a Condition
You can total just the rows that meet a rule by wrapping a FILTER inside SUM.
Below is the dataset. Column A lists regions, with East repeating, and column B holds the sales for each row.
You want the total sales for the East region only.
Here is the formula:
=SUM(FILTER(B2:B6, A2:A6="East"))
How this formula works:
- FILTER first keeps only the B values whose row has “East” in column A.
- That leaves a short list of the matching sales numbers.
- SUM then adds that filtered list and returns 310.
Pro Tip: For a single condition like this, the SUMIF function is more direct. Reach for the SUM and FILTER combo when your condition is too complex for SUMIF.
Tips & Common Mistakes
- Watch your range edges. If you add a row below your data, an old SUM that ended at B6 will not include it. Either extend the range or use an open range like B2:B.
- Text inside the range is fine, but text fed as a direct argument is not. =SUM(B2:B6) skips text quietly, while =SUM(“ten”, 5) throws an error because the bare text cannot be read as a number.
- Do not include the total cell in its own range. Pointing SUM at a range that contains the formula itself creates a circular reference and Google Sheets flags it.
SUM is the workhorse you will use more than almost any other function. Start with a plain range, then layer in specific cells or a FILTER as your needs grow.
Once you are comfortable here, conditional totals with SUMIF and SUMIFS are the natural next step.
List of All Google Sheets Functions
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