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
Update – thanks for the continued support of this feature. We’ll keep this request open for voting, but we’ll need to consider modifying the behavior slightly if it is to be brought back. For this suggestion, we would want to enable such behavior on both Mac and Windows, but we would need to do it in a way that does not cause problems for people who don’t want this behavior. For example, it may be that you would type =, then hold the CMD key as you click the cells to be added. Or perhaps you would need to enable a preference to get the old behavior. Please comment on these options or offer other ideas.
We’ve been working to make Excel more consistent between Mac and Windows, as can be seen by the updates over the past several months, which have satisfied several thousand votes on this forum (multi-thread calculation, PivotCharts, modern chart types, new functions, slicers for tables). I mention that to be clear that we are listening to the suggestions, comments and votes.
Steve K [MS Excel]
335 comments
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NK
commented
Please bring that function back. I just upgraded and now takes me so much longer to do my spreadsheets and I hate it. That feature was extremely convenient. I also use a mac.
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PL
commented
I am a 100% Mac user and I too want to see the function back.
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Willy
commented
Why make Excel more consistent between Mac & Windows? The reason I have a Mac is to never touch a PC of my whole life again.
BTW, why do I have to pay 70$/yr for MS on my Mac? I had MS Office 2011 for years. Now we have to pay a fee yearly? Such a rip off!
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Geoff Berlin
commented
Yes, pls add this feature back. I just "upgraded" from Office 2011 for Mac to Office 365, and it's not there. Looked through Preferences and could find no way to activate. Pls add it back!
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JL
commented
I am a Mac user and I agree with all the comments re the need to click + between clicking cells I want to add together. Not only is it a retrograde step it is inconvenient with the + key being on the right of the keyboard. I also have clients who are very unhappy about this. I am seriously considering cancelling my subscription and looking at other options than 365.
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MG
commented
As requested by many, please create an option so users can enable this intuitive summation method. For reference I am a Mac user, whom recently "updated" to 365. Thanks much.
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Anonymous
commented
Anonymous commented · October 14, 2019 05:03
Please re-enable the click on each cell capability to add, instead of having to select + between each cell. PLEASE
________________________________Yes! Why would you take this function away? 😲
Please bring this back.
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Anonymous
commented
I'm a Mac user and I also vote to re-enable this feature.
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Gil Frisbie
commented
I'm a Mac user and I would love to see the function back
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Andrew Bullard
commented
The sum (then clickimng individual cells etc is great if one is adding a single line with adjacent cells But what we miss is instead just selecting no adjacent cells in rows as wekll as columns
MS Excell guys should relaise this
And it should be available for both mac users as well as windows users please -
Anonymous
commented
Please re-enable the click on each cell capability to add, instead of having to select + between each cell. PLEASE
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Nope
commented
It should that Microsoft listens to and accommodates the users and not a bunch old men in Redmond. This is a convenient and necessary feature.
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Anonymous
commented
As mentioned in my post to Philip:
MS stated 2018 (March 26) in this thread that they will not bring back this feature, but keep the voting open.
First time I actually saw that and that means : TIME TO MOVE ON! -
Dan S.
commented
Still waiting... Everyone who has written a comment (or just found this page, and moved on) has a slow-burn itch for this to come back. Unfortunately, the lack of this feature makes it easier to switch to Google Sheets. Microsoft has made a seamless functionality compatibility with Sheets, and taken away this time-saving feature that Sheets does not have.
MICROSOFT: WE STILL WANT THIS BACK.
Maybe we can petition Google to add it, and then just make the switch. (I hate this idea) -
Anonymous
commented
My guess is that this purported voting, or discussion, is really just a notification that this feature will not be reinstated. Over four years now = dead.
Time to move on; I reverted to 2011 for sheets that needed to stay with Excel, and I’m learning to cope with Apple’s Numbers app. All my new sheets will be with Numbers, as MS has clearly shown antipathy to Macs. -
Anonymous
commented
To Philip:
Looks like they already said they would not bring this feature back. (defies logic and are there really users who would not like it?)
But, kept open for voting, which is weird.
Also, Mac and Windows users have been working with different UIs for umpteen years.
Don't see why it needs to be uniform, if it kills features both platforms would likeMarch 28, 2018
DECLINED · ADMIN Excel Team [MSFT] (Product Owner, Office.com) responded · March 26, 2018
Thanks for all your comments and votes supporting this suggestion. We are not planning to bring this feature back. As mentioned, the workaround is to type =SUM() and then hold the CMD key when you click on the cell references.Steve K [MS Excel]
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Z
commented
Echo others' comments, please let us know one way or the other, hopefully you'll bring this feature back. But please communicate with us!
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Phillip
commented
Dear Steve K., I venture to guess that not a single user would object to this feature being added as a user preference. Restoring this has been debated since 2015. If Microsoft has no intention of honoring this request, please, just say so. Here, allow me to help, "Dear Excel users, we have gratuitously let this thread live on for years now, and while we enjoy seeing you hopelessly beg, please know you can direct this request to the nearest brick wall. Sincerely, Microsoft."
I truly hope, however, Microsoft will implement this as a user option and be done with it – and bring a smile to your customers' aging faces. Thank you.
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Jeff
commented
Yes, the old way is easy and intuitive. I have noticed MS seems to regularly delete great features in Office every time they "updgrade" the software (like autorestore in Outlook, photo editing and viewing functionality, the "delete" email option embedded in Outlook email alerts, etc.) . If you already wrote a great feature, why does MS delete its functionality? It should cost nothing to leave the code in there that you already paid for. Very frustrating MS habit. Sometimes older is definitely better and its why I am slow to update MS software.
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Anonymous
commented
bring it back. bring it back. bring it back.