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How to sum the same cell across multiple sheets in Excel and Google Sheets
Topic:SUM & aggregationHeads up: Excel and Google Sheets do this differently.
Excel
=SUM(Jan:Dec!B2)Google Sheets
=SUM({Jan!B2; Feb!B2; Mar!B2})Try it with your data
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Step by step
- 1In Excel, type =SUM( then click the first sheet tab, hold Shift and click the last sheet tab.
- 2Click the cell to total (e.g. B2) and close the bracket — this is a 3D reference (Jan:Dec!B2).
- 3Google Sheets has no 3D reference, so stack the cells inside { } separated by semicolons and wrap in SUM.
Tips
- The Excel 3D range adds every tab between the first and last, so reorder or insert tabs carefully.
- In Sheets, keep an explicit list — it is more typing but makes the sources obvious and auditable.
Need the Google Sheets version instead? Open Sheets variant in workspace →
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Frequently asked
Why doesn't Jan:Dec!B2 work in Google Sheets?
Google Sheets does not support 3D references across tabs. List each sheet's cell inside curly braces, e.g. =SUM({Jan!B2; Feb!B2}).
Can I 3D-sum a range, not just one cell?
Yes — in Excel =SUM(Jan:Dec!B2:B10) totals that range on every tab from Jan through Dec.
More on SUM & aggregation
See all →Reference
SUMPRODUCT
Multiply ranges together row by row and sum the result — ideal for weighted totals.
How-toHow to sum a column
Add up an entire column with SUM. Total a whole column or a fixed range — identical in Excel and Google Sheets.
Error fixFix 0
SUM returns 0 or the wrong total in Excel and Google Sheets — fix numbers stored as text, filtered ranges, manual calculation mode, and circular references.
ReferenceSUBTOTAL
Aggregate a range (sum, average, count…) while ignoring other SUBTOTALs and, optionally, hidden rows. Ideal under filters.
How-toHow to create a running total
Build a cumulative running total with a SUM and a clever anchored reference that grows as you copy it down. Works in both apps.
How-toHow to sum values by month
Total amounts that fall in a given month with SUMIFS and two date bounds. Works the same in Excel and Google Sheets.