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]
334 comments
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Anonymous
commented
Any progress with this? Can it be part of the next update??
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Craig
commented
I agree 100%
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Terri
commented
I can't believe they did this. So annoying.
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thedrummer
commented
The new system works as outlined but it adds more keystrokes. Not good practise. Give the facility to poor Windows users and reinstate it on the mac.
I've fired up Excel 2011 and will not upgrade till 2016 works. If it still doesn't work at my next 360 renewal I'll cancel. Actually, its almost about the principle of not putting software upgrades in the hands of writers who don't know the real strengths of the existing version. As the generations change over from those that originally wrote the software this is happening more and more. -
Jacek
commented
Any progress?
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Anonymous
commented
Me too! If I only have a few to sum, especially if they're not contiguous, it's so much easier to = click, click, click.
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Deborah Wasik
commented
Amen! the =sum( function is great if you're adding a column or row, but if you need to add random cells the loss of the automatic addition function is horrible – time-consuming and inaccurate.
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Lainey Keir
commented
This is a crap idea - why standardise excel 2016 with less functions. Why not include the ones we already use.
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Anonymous
commented
Oh Thank God that =SUM(, works!! Thank you Dan!! I use Excel for our monthly budget and for my business. We just upgraded my Excel program and I was so excited to get the upgrade...until this problem occurred. That excitement went downhill immediately. Now that I have this tip you posted the program is back to being one of my favorites again!!
=SUM(, works!!
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Anonymous
commented
Bring it back please. I screw up every time i use excel now. I am so used to the ease of use with the one click that i still do it. I use excel every day and would really appreciate that functionality back. Please bring it back asap.
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Anonymous
commented
Why would they do this!! I use this function HUNDREDS of times a day
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Janine
commented
I still can't get used to losing this function. Has cost me more time (because I can't get out of the habit) than i want to think about. who on earth decided to get rid of this function - they should be fired - it has pissed off so many users. i have been using excel since the 1980's; it has been amazing to see excel's capabilities expand - never expected something as dumb as this to suddenly happen.
bring back this function for pity's sake
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Todd De La Garza
commented
WHY WHY WHY did they do away with this function? The new version is a pain......please add this back as an option!!!
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Anonymous
commented
Inconceivable -- eliminating a simple, efficient, time-saving feature in an "upgrade." A feature I used more than ANY other. Also, the "new and improved" dysfunctional ribbon and header is another frustrating down grade. MS, get a clue!
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Roger Swallow
commented
BRING BACK "=clicking individual cells" NOW, what were you thinking!!!!!!! It is astonishing to realize that MS had the mental capacity to remove such an important feature to just about everybody who has ever used Excel (Mac) to 'bring it line with Windows' rather than ADD the feature to Windows. Please restore my faith by restoring this ASAP!
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Anonymous
commented
Does anyone know how to turn this "feature" OFF in earlier versions? It's really annoying trying to create a complex formula and it keeps adding together my cells instead of selecting a different cell to use in my formula. I waste so much time fixing every complex formula because of this.
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Steve
commented
Before 2016 I felt like each new version built upon the last meaning it was better and nothing was lost in the transition. This version is 100% a downgrade. Just the small things alone kill this as a productivity tool and make me wonder whether Microsoft has totally lost touch with its customers and why we buy their products. Examples: 1) clicking cels after "=" was a great feature for quick add-ups. Why would this feature that everyone uses be taken away? 2) The ribbbon and head is a total disaster. Why can't we customize the ribbon? I do not want junk that I do not use to be there. I want a clean interface with ONLY the tools that I use presented and nothing else. The ribbon is a huge waste of screen real-estate. Come on Microsoft. I have been using Excel for Mac for something like 20 years now and this 2016 version is the first one I have every complained about and this version is really truly aweful. I am not a person who complains about change and actually like change in the apps but not downgrades and gross inefficiencies. Fix this quickly please.
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Mark S.
commented
This is a huge step backward and a deal breaker for me. I prepare video budgets and HATE not being able to just click individual cells for a total. I have no issue with the subscription model. but I'm going to transition over to numbers and pages. Then cancel my Office 365 subscription. FYI None of the workarounds seem to work,
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Anonymous
commented
OMG!!!!!! I thought i was going mad I thought I pressed something and reset my program and was researching how to put the feature back in ... this feature saves my ass so many many times. I cannot believe its gone .... what a stupid mistake MS ... seriously this feature was one of the key features you won so many non accountant people over .... WOW!
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Ed
commented
I'm glad I found this thread. The loss of the click-to-add function is a MAJOR decrease in ease of use. I could care less about compatibility with Windows, but if that is the goal then why not benefit the Windows users with the same function?