Just click individual cells to sum
Excel 2011 had the possibility to sum individual cells by typing "=", and then just clicking on individual cells across the workbook that you want to sum, and "return" when done. This functionality is no longer available in Excel 2016 (you have to type "=sum(", then clicking on the individual cells while holding down the command key, "return". I would be happy if the old functionality is brought to Excel 2016.
Saskia Aldershof
shared this idea
I have great news to share. In the latest Insiders Fast release, we’ve added a preference to enable this feature. If you’re an Insider and you’ve chosen the Fast updates, just install version 16.37 (200413) or greater, then go to Preferences > Edit > and Enable Click to Add Mode. Then you can type = and click cells to create a formula that adds the cells together.
This feature should be released to everyone in May 2020 (v16.37 or greater). If you’d like to become an Insider, just go to the Help menu, choose Check for Updates, then click Advanced and opt into the Insiders program. Choose the Fast updates.
397 comments
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Anonymous
commented
@NalaNZ I have the exact Mac version number as you, the only difference is I have Office 365 license, not Retail license. I have this feature (and about 5 others on the Preferences screen that you don't). I can't answer why, but at least there's the facts.
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Nala NZ
commented
After searching for what I thought was my problem not being able to Click to add, found this forum. How stupid to remove one of the best, quick ways to total a few cell instead of having to format =Sum every time. Just upgraded to 16.46 after reading comments, but option still not there. Do I have to regress to Mac Excel 2011 on old Mac Air to get functions? Slack.
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Stuart Munro
commented
As of 16.46, this function has still not shown up in regular release. It is just jaw-droppingly stupid for Microsoft to have removed a function the utility of which could not be more plain--and then to trumpet its return, without reallly returning it at all. Why not simply restore this to all versions of Excel, rather than just the "insider" version? That is just another incomprehensible decision. Please, please, for God's sake, restore this for general use.
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Jim
commented
The fix only appears to be on 365. I'm now running version 16.41 (volume license 2019) and I'm switched over to Insiders Fast updates. The feature it's still not there.
Any response MS?
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Paul Bogen
commented
I have just upgraded to office 2019 for mac.There does not seem to be a "Click to Add Mode" in preferences - edit? I am an 'insider'. Does this fix work for Excel 2019?
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Jim
commented
I'm running Excel for Mac Volume License 2019 version and this feature does not appear. It's quite annoying. What is the solution for volume license users? Thanks.
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Anonymous
commented
**** this is frustrating!!!
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eveningclouds
commented
I am using Excel for Mac Version 16.40 20071407 and Click to Add is in the Preferences. I am also not using the Fast release mode but Production mode in the updater. It is the Microsoft 365 Subscription. I've not paid any attention to Microsoft name changes so I get what they give me.
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Alan
commented
I finished the install of Office365 and launched Excel. "Enable Click To Add Mode" is in present in the preferences. The O365 version is actually older than the Office 2019 version I had installed. See attachement
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Alan
commented
I am on Excel 16.40.20072109 and this feature is not in Preferences:Edit:...
See attached screen shot.
I'm going to uninstall Office 2019 Volume License version and install Office365 from AppStore. -
SteveB
commented
Steve K, Its now July 27th 2020, the feature is not released to EVERYONE v16.37 or greater. I updated to 16.39 (20071300) and its not there. As others have said its only on 365 or Fast Updates.
When will this be fixed? -
eveningclouds
commented
Yes, again just a caution that the function does NOT work as it did in its original form. It gets confused if used along with the SUM function. Be careful. It is better than not having it, but Microsoft did not put enough thought into implementing in, even though they decided to reintroduce it and took 4.5 years to do so!
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Bill Zoellick
commented
Thank you ... and please communicate thanks to management or whomever ...
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Anonymous
commented
Wonderful. Fabulous. All good things, taken away, return to those who wait. And complain. And wait . . .
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52371
commented
Glad to see this is back, but:
1. Why are integral legacy operations like this being removed or changed in the first place?
2. Now that is it back, why is it not enabled by default?
If you're going to make changes in the way an application operates that are counterintuitive to muscle memory developed over decades, at least make those changes optional.
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Bruce Weber
commented
I have the same problem as Alan (see his June 8, 2020 post). Upgraded to 16.38 (20061401) Volume License 2019 and it's not there. My screen shots look identical to his expert for the build number. Really disappointing, after all the comments and promises around this issue. Is it really only for Office 365? If so, a horrible decision, Microsoft.
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eveningclouds
commented
Glad to see this back, although it doesn't quite work the way it used to. One commenter points out about how the 'auto add' for a column of numbers gets confused if there's a blank cell. It also doesn't work if you need to go to a cell in another spreadsheet and add the value there to your spreadsheet just by clicking. to accomplish the latter, I have to go to preferences, turn the 'click to add' option off, and then perform the operation, manually inputting + signs. Which is back to where we were. So two steps forward, one step back. (And unless you're aware of this issue, your results are likely to be very wrong, not a good thing in the spreadsheet world.)
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Anonymous
commented
Sorry I didn't see this sooner. On fast build, you get a changed build number every time a new, unreleased version comes out. Same version (e.g., 16.38) but not yet a formal release. So to keep up with the newest feature (like click to add - finally), you need to be on the fast release end of updating. It's a bit of a pain sometimes, because restarting Excel when you have a number of files open closes all the files and makes you go back and figure out which ones you had open. (I hope MS fixes that someday.)
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Daniel
commented
"I went back and activated Insiders/Fast Updates, restarted, and now Click to Add appears in Preferences>Edit>Options menu. Excel still listed as v16.37. Good luck everyone!"
Thank you! It works now!
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Anonymous
commented
For those having problems getting option to appear:
I updated to Catalina and am running Office 365, Excel version 16.37. I didn't see option to activate "click to add" despite closing Excel and restarting.I went back and activated Insiders/Fast Updates, restarted, and now Click to Add appears in Preferences>Edit>Options menu. Excel still listed as v16.37. Good luck everyone!
