Microsoft KB Archive/185056

= WD97: Incorrect Formula Results Using ABOVE, BELOW, LEFT, RIGHT =

Article ID: 185056

Article Last Modified on 1/22/2007

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Word 97 Standard Edition

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This article was previously published under Q185056





SYMPTOMS
When you use a formula field in a table, the result is incorrect if the following are true:


 * You use ABOVE, BELOW, LEFT, or RIGHT as an argument for the field.

-and-
 * The defined range contains noncontiguous values (one or more blank cells between two values).

For example, the formula in cell A6 of the following table shows a result of 7 instead of 12:   |--| |              3  | <(Cell A1) |--|  |                  | <(Cell A2) |--|  |               4  | <(Cell A3) |--|  |                  | <(Cell A4) |--|  |               5  | <(Cell A5) |--|  |   {=SUM(ABOVE)}  | <(Cell A6) |--|



CAUSE
Word calculates all values correctly up to and including the first cell after an empty table cell, and then stops.



WORKAROUND
To work around this problem, use either 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) |--|



STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article.



MORE INFORMATION
For additional information, please see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

118521 WD: SUM Formula Does Not Update Correctly

105639 WD: Table Formula SUM(Above) Adds Number from Heading Row

113980 WD: Wrong Calculation Result with Bookmarks in Table

Keywords: kbbug kbformula kbpending kbtable KB185056

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