# Microsoft Office Application Help - Excel Help forum > Excel Formulas & Functions >  >  sum formula equals zero

## bpeltzer

Sounds like your cells contain text (and that's probably what the green
triangle is telling you).  To force the numeric strings to be converted to
numbers, type a 0 in any random cell, then copy that cell (ctrl+C).  Select
your range (G2:G25), then edit / paste special, select the radio buttons for
'values' and 'add'.

(An easy check to see that your numbers really are being treated that way is
to select them, then click on one of your numeric style buttons (comma,
percent).  If they're really numbers, the formats will change.)

"shathun" wrote:

> I am working in Excel and when I use the sum function I get zero.  My cell
> format is number, my calculation is automatic.  I cleared by cell contents
> and typed
>  =sum(G2:G25) and I get 0 every time.  My answer should be 575.  I also get
> a green triangle in the left hand corner.  Is there a box that should be
> checked or uncheckd in tools-options.

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## Niek Otten

Your cells are text, not numbers. That's what the green triangle tries to
get your attention for, as you will see if you select such a cell and click
the exclamation mark

Format an empty cell as Number, enter the number 1 and copy.
Select G2:G25, Paste Special, check Multiply.

Make sure any other cell you want to be numbers are formatted as such before
you enter the number.

--
Kind regards,

Niek Otten

Microsoft MVP - Excel

"shathun" <shathun@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:FC66D87C-80FE-4189-B49B-3C93A0085F88@microsoft.com...
>I am working in Excel and when I use the sum function I get zero.  My cell
> format is number, my calculation is automatic.  I cleared by cell contents
> and typed
> =sum(G2:G25) and I get 0 every time.  My answer should be 575.  I also get
> a green triangle in the left hand corner.  Is there a box that should be
> checked or uncheckd in tools-options.

----------


## shathun

I am working in Excel and when I use the sum function I get zero.  My cell
format is number, my calculation is automatic.  I cleared by cell contents
and typed
=sum(G2:G25) and I get 0 every time.  My answer should be 575.  I also get
a green triangle in the left hand corner.  Is there a box that should be
checked or uncheckd in tools-options.

----------


## bpeltzer

Sounds like your cells contain text (and that's probably what the green
triangle is telling you).  To force the numeric strings to be converted to
numbers, type a 0 in any random cell, then copy that cell (ctrl+C).  Select
your range (G2:G25), then edit / paste special, select the radio buttons for
'values' and 'add'.

(An easy check to see that your numbers really are being treated that way is
to select them, then click on one of your numeric style buttons (comma,
percent).  If they're really numbers, the formats will change.)

"shathun" wrote:

> I am working in Excel and when I use the sum function I get zero.  My cell
> format is number, my calculation is automatic.  I cleared by cell contents
> and typed
>  =sum(G2:G25) and I get 0 every time.  My answer should be 575.  I also get
> a green triangle in the left hand corner.  Is there a box that should be
> checked or uncheckd in tools-options.

----------


## Niek Otten

Your cells are text, not numbers. That's what the green triangle tries to
get your attention for, as you will see if you select such a cell and click
the exclamation mark

Format an empty cell as Number, enter the number 1 and copy.
Select G2:G25, Paste Special, check Multiply.

Make sure any other cell you want to be numbers are formatted as such before
you enter the number.

--
Kind regards,

Niek Otten

Microsoft MVP - Excel

"shathun" <shathun@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:FC66D87C-80FE-4189-B49B-3C93A0085F88@microsoft.com...
>I am working in Excel and when I use the sum function I get zero.  My cell
> format is number, my calculation is automatic.  I cleared by cell contents
> and typed
> =sum(G2:G25) and I get 0 every time.  My answer should be 575.  I also get
> a green triangle in the left hand corner.  Is there a box that should be
> checked or uncheckd in tools-options.

----------


## zoie01

I had this problem and tried several things to solve it. You can ensure that all the cells being summed are in number fomat, and must be numbers ( with no ' in front of them). Also ensure there are no circular formulas in the range of cells being summed. This was actually the issue with mine. I deleted the circular formula and Voila! It worked.

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## Wegener

> I had this problem and tried several things to solve it. You can ensure that all the cells being summed are in number fomat, and must be numbers ( with no ' in front of them). Also ensure there are no circular formulas in the range of cells being summed. This was actually the issue with mine. I deleted the circular formula and Voila! It worked.



This was my problem as well! Thank you so much for this answer. Saved me a serious amount of time.

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