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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 it for your exact data?
Describe your columns in plain English and get the precise formula for your sheet, with the right Excel or Sheets syntax.
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.