sum function not actually summing??????

[Guest]

Excel 03
OK, I'm trying to sum numbers a column. This is exact representation, cells
F19 to F22:

$11,087
$3,400
$2,400
$1,211

I sum into F23 and get the result of only F19 *$11,087.* F23 cell formula
shows as
=SUM(F19:F22)

This is a sheet I downloaded. I added a row (F21) to insert the $2400.
When first sum action didn't work, I thought maybe it was based on cell
format, so I reformatted to label them currency (this shows in cell
properties), so it's not an issue of cell format standardization.

Also, I copied the numbers from F column to a new one and pasted as *Special
-- values only* and STILL get only the result of the top #, $11,087.

WTF??? and What can I do????

 

[Guest]

Let's make sure that Excel knows that you are dealing with numbers:

1, in an un-used cell put 1.
2. copy this cell
3. select the cells containing the numbers $11,087 thru $1,211
4. do an Edit > Paste Special > and check the multiply button

This will fix the situation is Excel is confused numbers vs text.

 

[Guest]

Hi,

Click on each cell and ensure that the $ is not included in the cell.
When copying and pasting, it looks like the $ was also pasted into the cells
and excel didn't recognize this as numbers.

When a cell is formatted as currency, the currency symbol isn't actually
added to the cell. I removed the $ symbols and the sum function worked.

Cheers,

 

[Guest]

did not work. I'd reformatted cells to be both currency and number, and
neither worked then either. But cell props do show formattign worked so no
text confusion.

(multiplying got me the same numbers, btw, but still no correct sum :-( )

Also need to mention this is only the first section of this doc I started on
-- there are many more that will be identical in scope (i.e., insert row,
copy cell into new row, sum number range) so I don't really want ot have to
hand enter the numbers.

 

[Guest]

Kevin -- went thru and did this, but each cell was formatted as currency or
number (I tried both) previously. But i mauanlly deleted $'s and still get
same result, and cell formatting shows type of last format (curr or num).

I have never seen anything like this! Not a single suggestion has worked
and it's just mystifying on my end.

 

[Otto Moehrbach]

If you wish, send me direct a small file that contains this problem. Make
sure that the file you send has the same problem. My email address is
(e-mail address removed). Remove the "nop" from this address. HTH Otto

 

[George Nicholson]

But i manually deleted $'s ...

If you were able to manually delete $s from individual cells, then you
*have* to be working with text values (even after you deleted the $s). You
wouldn't be able to delete a $ in a cell where that was part of a numerical
format (it isn't really a part of the cell contents, it just displays).
Sum() is ignoring your text values. Applying number formatting "over" an
existing text value won't change that value from text to number, regardless
of what format the cell says it has now (a cell can have numerical
formatting but still contain text).

Since you say Gary's Student prior response didn't help, lets try a
different approach.
- Add a new column
- Select the new column and format it as number
- Select a column with "bad" data and copy it
-Select the new column and PasteSpecial>Values and then
PasteSpecial>Formulas (but *not* cell formats or number formats). Calculate

Better? Delete the "bad" data column (or Copy>Paste the New column over Bad)

HTH,

 

[George Nicholson]

Actually, ignore my suggested solution, it won't help (the values will still
be "numbers stored as text" after PasteSpecial>Values). Sorry, should have
tested it before posting.

Are you sure Gary's Student PasteSpecial>Multiply suggestion doesn't solve
your problem? It should (make sure your empty cell is formatted as a number
before you enter 1).

HTH,

 

[Jerry W. Lewis]

Format affects the display, not the value of a cell. In particular, if
the cell was text orignally, changing the format to a numeric format
will not change the contents from text to a number.

What value does =COUNT(F19:F22) return? If it returns 1 instead of 4,
then you should try the suggestion of Gary's Student, instead of
dismissing it out of hand.

Jerry