Sum of Children - not working

Hello All,

I'm trying to get the sum of children. There are 4 children rows, with multiple rows beneath that. See image.

In this case, the top row with cell value 0 would have a 2 because it's summing the purple 0 and purple 2. Purple 0 and Purple 2 are counting the cells below (children) that have checkboxes.

I'm using =COUNTIF(CHILDREN(), 1) + "" which works well for the count of checkboxes. But I can't get the top row to sum the two children.

Cheers,

smartsheet formula.png

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craigwaco

Here's another version of the issue, but simplified....

smartsheet formula 2.png

craigwaco

Ok,

I had to rethink my process. I couldn't get it to work.

This formula and layout works.

Brown= Formula Cell

I'm creating a 1 value if two conditions are met, then counting them in the parent. Then summing summing them in the grand-parent.

smartsheet formula 3.png

L_123

Just

=sum(children())

should work fine. if that doesn't work you have a data type issue which seems weird to me coming out of a countif. That said one of the sum's you have has an incorrect comma in it which might be causing your issue.

craigwaco

=sum(children()) didn't work. I wish it did.

Andrée Starå

Hi Craig,

You can't sum the numbers in a checkbox column when you've converted it to text with the +"". It has to be converted back to number for it to work. I'd recommend using a helper column for the calculations and then show the result in the checkbox column.

Would that work?

Hope that helps!

Have a fantastic week!

Best,

Andrée Starå

Workflow Consultant / CEO @ WORK BOLD

craigwaco

Hi Andree,

I tried the +"" and it didn't work. Do you see the screenshot above? I copied the formulas there too.

I get an #UNPARSEABLE error

Andrée Starå

What I meant was that if you're using the +"" trick. The values won't be numbers anymore. They'll be text and need to be converted back to numbers again for the calculations to work.

Make sense?

Paul Newcome

Further explanation...

The formula that you are using to generate the numbers in the checkbox column that ends in + "" is converting the number into a text. since text cannot be added, you will need to use a "Helper Column" to convert these values back into numbers then you can use the numerical values in your helper column within the SUM function.

In the Helper column you would use

=VALUE([Checkbox Column Name]@row)

To get your sum, you would now use

=SUM(CHILDREN([Helper Column]@row))

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