Sum and Average Without a Formula: Just Select

For a quick check of numbers — what's the total, what's the average, how many cells are filled in — you don't need to write a formula or find an empty cell to put it in. Just select the range with the mouse and look down at the status bar, where Excel computes these basic statistics for you continuously, in real time.

A typical scenario

Anna is reviewing an expense report and needs to quickly know what the ten selected rows add up to, without wanting that value permanently written anywhere in the sheet. Writing a formula into a spare cell just for one quick check, then deleting it again, is unnecessary extra work.

She just selects the ten cells with the mouse and looks down at the status bar — Sum, Average, and Count are visible instantly, without typing a single character. Change the selection, and the numbers recalculate on their own.

How to do it

1. Select the range of numbers you want to check — dragging with the mouse or using Shift and the arrow keys both work.
2. In the status bar at the very bottom of the Excel window, you'll see Average, Count (the number of selected cells), and Sum of the selected values.
3. The values recalculate instantly with every change to the selection — nothing to confirm or refresh.
4. Right-click the status bar to open a menu where you can add Minimum, Maximum, and other statistics that aren't shown by default.
5. Clicking any of the values in the status bar (say, the Sum) copies it to the clipboard, and you can paste it elsewhere without having to retype the value by hand.

The best tools

• Excel's built-in status bar — the fastest way to quickly check numbers, no formula required.
• Google Sheets — selecting a range shows a small box with the sum of the selected cells in the bottom-right corner; clicking it reveals more statistics too. Same idea, just a different corner of the screen.
• A formula in a helper cell — for a value you want permanently visible rather than just an instant check, an actual formula is still the better choice over the status bar.

What you get out of it

• Time: roughly 3 minutes a day on quick checks that would otherwise require writing and then deleting a helper formula.
• A cleaner sheet: no extra helper formulas you'd have to delete again after checking, with the risk of forgetting one.
• Instant feedback: just select and look down — the result shows up faster than you could type a formula.

Pro tip

You can click a value in the status bar to copy it straight to the clipboard and paste it elsewhere — no need to retype the number by hand or write a formula for it that you'd just delete again.