Inserting Formulas

In Word, we have the ability to perform calculations in our table.
For this, we use formulas.
To insert a formula in our table, first select the cell containing the formula you want to insert, and then click the “Formula” in the “Layout” contextual tab under “Table Tools”.

This opens the “Formula” dialog box:

In the upper section of the dialog box, we enter the formula.

FYI:

For those of us who are accustomed to working with Excel, columns include letters, A – B – C, etc., and rows include numbers, 1 – 2 – 3 etc.
The point of intersection of a column with a row is referred to as a cell.
For example, in the above image, the G2 cell is highlighted in blue. Those who have never worked with Excel, will now know.
The first thing you need to do is to select the cell where you want to calculate the product.
I want to calculate the product of the number of the products and the price. So I multiply cell E2 with cell F2.
Then I click the “Formula” button on the ribbon.
This opens the “Formula” dialog box.
In the first box, I enter the formula.
When you enter a formula, you have to begin with the equals sign (=).
So I type = E2 ~ F2.
In the second section of the dialog box, select a number format.
Then you click the OK button.

I repeat this for the cells G3 and G4.

In cell G5, I want the total of all parent cells.
So I select first cell, G5, and click the “Formula” button on the ribbon.

When the cell below is selected or the numbers column is selected, then the formula = SUM (ABOVE) is proposed automatically.If this is not true in your case, you can always enter a new formula.

If the cursor is placed in the left or right number columns, then the formula = SUM (LEFT) or = SUM (RIGHT) is proposed, automatically. This is just for your information.

.

Select a number format, and click OK.

If you wish to quickly add a row or a column to count, you can always use the “SUM” .
Place this button in the toolbar “Quick Access” or on the ribbon, if you frequently make use of summations in Word.
How you do this you have already seen in a previous lesson of this course.

The problem with using formulas in Word when you have a cell is that they do not change, eg the number in cell F2, that the product, in this case cell G2.  This we solve by adding an Excel spreadsheet to our document.

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