Microsoft Excel for Noobs - How to let Excel do your calculations? Part 1

This is my first entry on the usage of Microsoft Excel. Reason why I choose this topic is because Excel is damn useful and simple yet it seems like it is not fully utilized by many people, at least in my immediate environment, though I happen to live in Singapore.

If you are already an expert in Excel, go and play somewhere else. I have games in my blog. These tutorial is for absolute beginners. Don't disturb the Noobs. 😠

Alright. Before I start, I would to say that these Excel functions are based on Microsoft Excel 2010 version.


Time to kickstart the first lesson; how to calculate using excel?

Key Learning 

Usage of (ALT + EQUAL) to select a RANGE of cells with numbers to add up to the TOTAL SUM

With Excel, you don't have to use a physical calculator and manually enter every numbers to get the total sum. Refer to the illustration below (using chocolates for example).

Suppose you want to count the total units of chocolates; make sure all the numbers are in the right cells. In this example, the numbers are in Column B from Row 2 to Row 10. We refer these column / row combo as B2, B3, B4 and so on.

Now, you want to get the total sum of the units shown in this illustration. There are two options when you do auto-calculation but I'll show 1 option only which utilizes the keyboard shortcuts and that is my preferred method.

Hover your mouse at B11, then simultaneously press the alt button + the '=' sign button on your keyboard. Once you have done the above, your Excel will look like the next Excel illustration.

You will see the '=SUM(B2:B10)' at B11. That means B11 cell contains the formula that you have input and the formula will remain in B11 unless you make any changes. In Excel, 'SUM' means the total amount of the range which you select; the range can be in the column or row.

Remember the important keyboard button, press 'alt' + '=' at the same time at the box below the numbers which you want to calculate the total sum.

Once you press the 'enter' button, the formula '=SUM(B2:B10)' will convert into the value of the total sum which is 31. Keep in mind that the value changes whenever you enter different numbers in the (B2:B10) range.

For illustration that B11 is dependent on the (B2:B10) range, refer to image below. I exaggerated the figures to show clear outcome. The total is 126 because B2, B6 and B9 cell data have been changed. The formula '=SUM(B2:B10)' is designed to capture any values within the selected range and calculate the total.

Want another reference?

Visit this link which will redirect you to Microsoft. Or click here for the Video version of this tutorial.

That's it for now. To summarize, please remember to SIMULTANEOUSLY press  'ALT' + 'EQUAL' sign button to calculate the TOTAL of a RANGE in your Excel Sheet.