How can I have a running total (amount) on a Sheet

Storr 1

Can i put a running total in a column description or other location on a sheet. I sort the sheet often.

Paul Newcome

Would you want the running total to be based on row number regardless of the sort or would you want it based on entry order?

Kimberly Loveless

You can use the sheet summary tab on the right side.

Just select "+ New Field" then just title the field for whatever count you want to do and add the formula to the field to count what you need to keep the running total of.

Paul Newcome

@Kimberly Loveless's solution will work if you just want the "live" grand total.

My questions were based on you wanting something more along the lines of...

Number.......Running Total

1.............................1

2.............................3

1.............................4

5.............................9

(or similar)

Please let us know which you would prefer!

Storr 1

I am looking for a running total. My issue is when I sort for date updates. If I could place the running total of a column above the sheet it would be great.

Paul Newcome

Are yo able to provide a screenshot with manually entered data that shows what exactly you are wanting to accomplish?

Storr 1

It looks like Sheet Summary will have to do for now. Thanks

Paul H

Indent all rows and use the top row as a header/summary totals

Storr 1

I will give this a try

KatyBelle

https://community.smartsheet.com/discussion/comment/307945#Comment_307945

@Paul Newcome - I am looking for a way to calculate a running total as you described (by row). I am working with a sheet that has parent/child rows, but I only want to sum the parent row values in the running total (the children have no cell values). Is it possible to create a running total column?

Paul Newcome

@KatyBelle Are you able to provide a screenshot for reference?

KatyBelle

Hi @Paul Newcome - I've attached a screenshot.

Essentially, I have two sheets that track our projects: 1) Current Projects (for anything in progress) and 2) Completed Projects (for everything YTD that is complete). When a project is marked as complete in the Current Projects sheet, it copies to the Completed sheet via automation.

All of these projects have a point-value toward productivity metrics (1 point for a 13-week project, 1.5 points for a 16-week project). I want to build a report using both the Current and Completed sheets to show a running total of our points as we complete projects (Actual Point Accrual) and to forecast point progress as current projects are scheduled to close in the future (Anticipated Point Accrual).

I thought the easiest solution might be to track that information in helper columns in the Current and Completed Sheets, but everything I've tried so far returns a value of 0. Any thoughts you may have would be appreciated!

Paul Newcome

@KatyBelle And how are you wanting to display this? Are you wanting it on a timeline type graph with dates as the labels, or are you just looking for the total of each to update automatically as new projects are added / moved / completed?

KatyBelle

@Paul Newcome I'm just looking for the total of each row to update automatically as new projects are added / moved / completed at the moment (though now that you mention it, I could totally see visualizing the data on a Gantt chart in the future).

Paul Newcome

@KatyBelle You can create a row report and group it by sheet name since your completed projects are on a different sheet. Then you can use a summary field in that report to SUM the points column.

KatyBelle

@Paul Newcome Thanks for your feedback. I'd created a test row report to pull in the two sheets (see attachment - green are completed projects, blue are current/in progress). Could you please explain further about the summary field in the report to sum the rows? That's the part I don't quite understand how to do, since I can't use a formula or sheet summaries in a row report. I feel like I'm close but still missing something!