Although Word cannot compete with Excel when it comes to calculations, it is still possible to perform simple calculations in Word tables.. The advantage of this is that the calculations are part of the file. Suppose Word contains the table below:
It would be nice if the totals of this table could be calculated in Word. This can be done by inserting a field in each cell where a total is to be placed. Stay in the top right cell and choose insert field at Quick parts. Then press the Formula button and type in =SUM(LEFT). Do that for the 2 cells below in the same way. For the cells in the bottom row, the formula must be =SUM(ABOVE). In this way the total counts are made.
Word handles cell names in the table in the same way as Excel does. So instead of =SUM(LEFT) in the top right cell the following formula can also be used: =A1+B1+C1.
After entering these fields, the table will look like this:
The gray cells are the fields with the formulas. This gray can only be seen on the screen. When printed, all cells look the same.
If a value in the table is changed now, it is noticeable that the total is not immediately adjusted. This adjustment of the total value can be done by choosing the relevant field and selecting the option Update field with the right mouse button. So for calculations where the base numbers often change value, Word is not really very suitable, but for simple calculations of more or less static numbers this is fine. In the general options for Word, a check mark can be placed at Display at 'Update fields before printing'. This ensures that the correct values are always printed and therefore a recalculation takes place first.
Questions / suggestions
Hopefully this article has helped you to calculate in Word tables If you have any questions about this topic or suggestions for improvement, please post a comment below.
