1.14 SUM Function

The sum function in Excel is an efficient way to add up the contents in several cells. To use the sum function, click on the cell where you want the solution to be. Insert the function into that cell by following the pattern shown in the figure below. Notice that the sum function "references" cells D2:D4. In this context, the colon ":" means "through," so D2:D4 means that the program should sum (add up) cells D2 through D4.