Microsoft KB Archive/111886

= WD: Incorrect Results in Formula Using ABOVE, BELOW, LEFT, RIGHT =

Article ID: 111886

Article Last Modified on 8/16/2005

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Word 6.0 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Word 6.0a
 * Microsoft Word 6.0c
 * Microsoft Word 95 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Word 95a

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This article was previously published under Q111886



SYMPTOMS
A formula field in a table yields an incorrect result when it includes ABOVE, BELOW, LEFT, or RIGHT if the defined range contains noncontiguous values (in other words, if there is one or more blank cell between two values).

For example, the formula in cell A4 of the following table shows a result of 4 instead of 7:   |--| |              3  |   |--|   |                  |   |--|   |               4  |   |--|   |   {=SUM(ABOVE)}  | |--|



CAUSE
Word calculates correctly up to the first empty table cell, then stops. Word does not calculate any values beyond the first empty cell.



STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article.



WORKAROUND
To workaround this problem use one of the following methods.

Method 1: Type zero(0) in any blank cells
Type zero(0) in any blank cells included within the calculation range. For example:   |--| |              3  | <(Cell A1) |--|  |               0  | <(Cell A2) |--|  |               4  | <(Cell A3) |--|  |               0  | <(Cell A4) |--|  |               5  | <(Cell A5) |--|  |   {=SUM(ABOVE)}  | <(Cell A6) |--|

Method 2: Use cell references
For a range that contains one or more blank cells, use cell references to define the range instead of ABOVE, BELOW, LEFT, or RIGHT. For example, use the following formula field to obtain a correct result:   |--| |              3  | <(Cell A1) |--|  |                  | <(Cell A2) |--|  |               4  | <(Cell A3) |--|  |                  | <(Cell A4) |--|  |               5  | <(Cell A5) |--|  |   {=SUM(A1:A5)}  | <(Cell A6) |--|

