Excel like a finance pro.
Database function
DSUM
Adds values in a column of a table that match a criteria range.
When to use it
Sums a column of a table for rows that match a criteria range. The criteria range is a small table with column headers and one or more rows of conditions.
The shape of it
- Syntax
=DSUM(database, field, criteria)
Worked examples
One condition
=DSUM(A1:E11,"Revenue",H1:H2) → 500
H1 is "Region" and H2 is "West": the three West rows add to 500.
OR conditions
=DSUM(A1:E11,5,H1:H3) → 1,100
Two rows under Region (West, East) are ORed. Column 5 is Revenue.
AND conditions
=DSUM(A1:E11,"Revenue",H1:I2) → 400
Region West and Units >2 in the same row are ANDed.
Worth knowing
- Criteria headers must match the table headers exactly.
- Conditions like ">100" go in the criteria cell as text.
- SUMIFS is simpler for AND-only conditions; DSUM wins for OR across columns.
Where it goes wrong
- Returns 0 when a criteria header is misspelled.
- #VALUE! when the field is not found.
Related
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