Newbie problem: numbers with +positive and -negative indicators

I have a column of numbers that i need to have a positive or negative
indicator to add up with the AutoSum function,

+3
-3.5
+10

....but can't get the autosum function on the row below to
calculate...i get an empty " =sum( ) " display; what is the correct
way to format these numbers so i can get the total of +9.5 with this
column

Seems like you've got text the needs to be made numeric. Select a blank cell
(or put a 0 in some random cell and select it). Then ctrl+c to copy it.
Select your range of cells that need to be converted, right-click and select
paste special. Choose Values and Add, then click ok.

".Net Sports" wrote:

I have a column of numbers that i need to have a positive or negative
indicator to add up with the AutoSum function,

+3
-3.5
+10

....but can't get the autosum function on the row below to
calculate...i get an empty " =sum( ) " display; what is the correct
way to format these numbers so i can get the total of +9.5 with this
column

That's because you don't have numbers, you have text. Autosum can't add
text. It adds numbers.

First, change your entries to numbers. Second, use a custom format of
+General;-General;0 to display numbers with signs.

Regards,
Fred.

".Net Sports" wrote in message
...
I have a column of numbers that i need to have a positive or negative
indicator to add up with the AutoSum function,

+3
-3.5
+10

...but can't get the autosum function on the row below to
calculate...i get an empty " =sum( ) " display; what is the correct
way to format these numbers so i can get the total of +9.5 with this
column

Hi

With your numbers in A1:A3 your formula should be (with no leading spaces):

=sum(A1:A3)

Numbers are always seen as positive unless you enter a minus sign in front
of the number.

HTH
Per

".Net Sports" skrev i meddelelsen
...
I have a column of numbers that i need to have a positive or negative
indicator to add up with the AutoSum function,

+3
-3.5
+10

...but can't get the autosum function on the row below to
calculate...i get an empty " =sum( ) " display; what is the correct
way to format these numbers so i can get the total of +9.5 with this
column

If you don't want to fix those entries so that they're real numbers try
this:

=SUMPRODUCT(VALUE(A1:A3))

If you want the result to display a + sign when it's a positive result use
the custom format Fred suggested in his reply.

--
Biff
Microsoft Excel MVP


".Net Sports" wrote in message
...
I have a column of numbers that i need to have a positive or negative
indicator to add up with the AutoSum function,

+3
-3.5
+10

...but can't get the autosum function on the row below to
calculate...i get an empty " =sum( ) " display; what is the correct
way to format these numbers so i can get the total of +9.5 with this
column

=A1+A2+A3

--

Regards,

RD
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Please keep all correspondence within the Group, so all may benefit !
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

".Net Sports" wrote in message
...
I have a column of numbers that i need to have a positive or negative
indicator to add up with the AutoSum function,

+3
-3.5
+10

....but can't get the autosum function on the row below to
calculate...i get an empty " =sum( ) " display; what is the correct
way to format these numbers so i can get the total of +9.5 with this
column

On Oct 2, 7:43 am, "RagDyeR" wrote:
=A1+A2+A3

--

Regards,

RD
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Please keep all correspondence within the Group, so all may benefit !
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thanks for the responses.... the problem I have is, I need to add
these numbers in this column just like they are and have +9.5 as the
result (i'm using Office2003 version) and it won't let me autosum it
even when i remove the plus signs on the positive numbers, it just
spits out an "=sum()" where the +3 cell is.... I need to add these
like they are positive and negative numbers; how do I go into Format
Cells to do this????

".Net Sports" wrote in message

...
I have a column of numbers that i need to have a positive or negative
indicator to add up with the AutoSum function,

+3
-3.5
+10

...but can't get the autosum function on the row below to
calculate...i get an empty " =sum( ) " display; what is the correct
way to format these numbers so i can get the total of +9.5 with this
column

You need to fill the parentheses in the SUM() formula with the range you are
tyring to sum, e.g. =SUM(A1:A3). You don't need to type it in; if you put
your cursor between the parentheses you can then just drag across the range
of cells tou want to sum and it will put the reference of that range in the
formula for you.

If the cell is showing the formula as text, rather than the result, then
you've probably got the cell formatted as text, so format the cell to
general, then re-enter the formula.
--
David Biddulph

".Net Sports" wrote in message
...
On Oct 2, 7:43 am, "RagDyeR" wrote:
=A1+A2+A3

--

Regards,

RD
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Please keep all correspondence within the Group, so all may benefit !
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thanks for the responses.... the problem I have is, I need to add
these numbers in this column just like they are and have +9.5 as the
result (i'm using Office2003 version) and it won't let me autosum it
even when i remove the plus signs on the positive numbers, it just
spits out an "=sum()" where the +3 cell is.... I need to add these
like they are positive and negative numbers; how do I go into Format
Cells to do this????

".Net Sports" wrote in message

...
I have a column of numbers that i need to have a positive or negative
indicator to add up with the AutoSum function,

+3
-3.5
+10

...but can't get the autosum function on the row below to
calculate...i get an empty " =sum( ) " display; what is the correct
way to format these numbers so i can get the total of +9.5 with this
column

Custom format:

+#.#;-#.#
OR
+#.##;-#.##


--

HTH,

RD
================================================== ===
Please keep all correspondence within the Group, so all may benefit!
================================================== ===

".Net Sports" wrote in message
...
On Oct 2, 7:43 am, "RagDyeR" wrote:
=A1+A2+A3

--

Regards,

RD
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Please keep all correspondence within the Group, so all may benefit !
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thanks for the responses.... the problem I have is, I need to add
these numbers in this column just like they are and have +9.5 as the
result (i'm using Office2003 version) and it won't let me autosum it
even when i remove the plus signs on the positive numbers, it just
spits out an "=sum()" where the +3 cell is.... I need to add these
like they are positive and negative numbers; how do I go into Format
Cells to do this????

".Net Sports" wrote in message

...
I have a column of numbers that i need to have a positive or negative
indicator to add up with the AutoSum function,

+3
-3.5
+10

...but can't get the autosum function on the row below to
calculate...i get an empty " =sum( ) " display; what is the correct
way to format these numbers so i can get the total of +9.5 with this
column

Function EvalCell(RefCell As String)
Application.Volatile
EvalCell = Evaluate(RefCell)
End Function

=EvalCell(A1&A2&A3) returns 9.5


Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP

On Thu, 2 Oct 2008 08:52:14 -0700 (PDT), ".Net Sports"
wrote:

On Oct 2, 7:43 am, "RagDyeR" wrote:
=A1+A2+A3

--

Regards,

RD
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Please keep all correspondence within the Group, so all may benefit !
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thanks for the responses.... the problem I have is, I need to add
these numbers in this column just like they are and have +9.5 as the
result (i'm using Office2003 version) and it won't let me autosum it
even when i remove the plus signs on the positive numbers, it just
spits out an "=sum()" where the +3 cell is.... I need to add these
like they are positive and negative numbers; how do I go into Format
Cells to do this????

".Net Sports" wrote in message

...
I have a column of numbers that i need to have a positive or negative
indicator to add up with the AutoSum function,

+3
-3.5
+10

...but can't get the autosum function on the row below to
calculate...i get an empty " =sum( ) " display; what is the correct
way to format these numbers so i can get the total of +9.5 with this
column