How to Sum Values by Category in Excel


Often you may want to sum the values of some dataset in Excel based on a category or group.

For example, suppose we have the following dataset and we’d like to sum the total “points” by team:

The following step-by-step example shows how to do so.

Step 1: Enter the Data

First, enter the data values into Excel:

Step 2: Find the Unique Categories

Next, we need to use the =UNIQUE() function to produce a list of unique values in a certain range.

In our example, we’ll type the following formula in cell E2:

=UNIQUE(B2:B12)

This will produce a list of unique teams:

Step 3: Find the Sum by Category

Next, we will use the SUMIF(range, criterion, sum_range) function to find the sum of the points scored by each team.

In our example, we’ll type the following formula in cell F2:

=SUMIF($B$2:$C$12, E2, $C$2:$C$12)

This will calculate the sum of points scored by each team:

This tells us:

  • The total points scored by players on the Lakers is 21.6.
  • The total points scored by players on the Mavericks is 56.4.
  • The total points scored by players on the Spurs is 48.8.
  • The total points scored by players on the Warriors is 65.

Additional Resources

The following tutorials explain how to perform other common tasks in Excel:

How to Sum by Color in Excel
How to Sum by Month in Excel
How to Count by Group in Excel
How to Sum Across Multiple Sheets in Excel

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