Calculate within cell

S

Stu Bulman

I am using Excel 2003 for the PC.

I want to be able to perform arithmetic on an existing cell value,
e.g., A1 contains the value 45 and I wish to add other values to it.

Typing the equal sign obliterates the original entry. Double clicking
the cell might place the insertion point between numbers--this is
awkward. Pressing F2 places the insertion point at the end of the
value. This is also awkward because I must move the insertion point to
the beginning of the value to place the equal sign.

My Excel for 2004 for Mac has a calculator icon which when clicked
automatically enters the initial value into an on-screen calcultor.

Any suggestions as to how this might be efficiently done?

Thanks,
Stu B
 
P

Peo Sjoblom

Put whatever value in a cell, copy it, select A1, do edit>paste special and
select add
 
G

Gary''s Student

You can add into a cell without using formulae. Cell A1 has 45 in it to
start. If you want to add 10 to the cell, first put 10 in an un-used cell,
copy it, and then paste/special onto A1 with the Add button checked.

While this may seem like a stupid example, you could do this to a thousand
cells in column A with only one paste.
 
S

Stu Bulman

Thanks for the rapid reply.

It works, but it seems a bit cumbersome. After the entry, copying and
pasting you are still left with residual data.

I was informed by the person for whom I'm posting, that previous
versions of Excel had a an equal sign icon on the toolbar that
accomplished this task.

At first blush I think it is easier to double click the cell and take
it from there.
 
E

Eva

If they want an equal sign on the toolbar, you can do that by
View>Toolbars>Customize...>Commands>Categories>View>Equal Sign.

Whether it will do what you want it to do is better answered by the far
more knowlegable wizards who lurk here.
 
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