If you’re used to doing calculations in Excel, you might be surprised to learn that Microsoft Word also has some mathematical tricks up its sleeve. You can run basic calculations right within Word tables, including summing values, finding averages, and even multiplying numbers. In this post, we’ll walk you through how to perform some basic calculations in Word. This will come in handy if you’re working with data but don’t want to switch over to Excel.

Let’s jump right in.

Adding the Sum Button to Your Quick Access Toolbar

Before we get into Word’s table magic, the first thing you need to do is make sure the Sum button is added to your Quick Access Toolbar. This will let you quickly sum values in your table cells.

Here’s how you can add the Sum button:

  1. Go to the drop-down in your Quick Access Toolbar (usually at the top of Word).
  2. Select More Commands.
  3. In the pop-up that appears, find the drop-down under “Choose commands from” and choose All Commands.
  4. Scroll down to the Sum function and click Add.
  5. Once added, hit OK.

With the Sum function now easily accessible, you can begin adding up values without much hassle.

Summing Numbers in a Table

Summing numbers in Word is simple. Let’s say you’ve inputted numbers into a table. All you need to do is:

  1. Place your cursor in the cell where you want the total.
  2. Click the Sum button in your Quick Access Toolbar.

Word will sum all the numbers adjacent to or above the selected cell automatically. It’s that easy!

If you need to repeat this action across different rows or columns, simply copy the formula to other cells and hit F9. The numbers will update consistently.

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Finding Averages in Word Tables

If total sums aren’t enough, you may find yourself needing to calculate averages in Word. For this, the steps are slightly different, but still straightforward.

  1. Place your cursor in the cell where you want the average to display.
  2. Go to the Layout tab under Table Tools (visible when your cursor is on a table).
  3. Click Formula on the right side of the toolbar.

By default, Word assumes you want to sum the values above your selected cell. However, for averaging, you need to replace the default formula. Here’s how:

  1. Delete the existing formula after the = sign.
  2. Select AVERAGE from the drop-down menu.
  3. Tell Word which values to include by typing ABOVE or LEFT (depending on where the numbers you’re averaging are located in relation to the target cell).
  4. Hit OK.

That’s it! Word will calculate the average based on your input. If you leave the formula field blank, you’ll get an error, so it’s important to specify where Word should pull the numbers from.

Finding the Maximum Number in a List

Sometimes, you might need to find the highest number in a column or row. Word can handle that too.

Here’s how:

  1. Select the cell where you want the highest number to appear.
  2. Open the Formula button under the Layout tab again.
  3. Delete the default formula and select MAX from the function list.
  4. Specify ABOVE, LEFT, RIGHT, or BELOW to tell Word where to look for numbers.
  5. Hit OK.

The highest number from the specified range will automatically appear in the cell.

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Working With Specific Table Cells in Word

Word’s tables behave similarly to Excel’s in terms of cell references. Rows and columns in your Word tables correspond to lettered columns (A, B, C) and numbered rows (1, 2, 3).

Let’s say you want to add specific values across different rows or columns. You can manually input those cell references into Word’s formula field just like you would in Excel.

Example:

  • To sum the values in column B, rows 2 and 4, type: =B2+B4 into the formula box.

Here are the steps to add up individual cells:

  1. Select the cell where you want the result.
  2. Open the Formula tool.
  3. Delete the default formula and enter your own formula using cell references.
  4. Hit OK to see the result.

Multiplying Numbers in Word Tables

Multiplication is another calculation you can handle in Word tables. To multiply, follow these steps:

  1. Place your cursor in the table cell where you want the result.
  2. Go to the Layout tab and click Formula.
  3. From the formula drop-down menu, select PRODUCT because Word uses this function for multiplication.
  4. Like with addition and averaging, tell Word which numbers to multiply by using ABOVE, LEFT, or another direction.
  5. Select OK.

Word will multiply the specified numbers together and display the result in your table.

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Wrapping It Up

Knowing how to perform basic calculations in Word can save you a lot of time, especially if you’re working on a document that’s mostly in Word but requires some quick number-crunching. While Word tables aren’t as powerful as Excel in terms of calculations, they can handle simpler tasks like adding, averaging, and multiplying numbers in a breeze.

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Until next time!

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