WD98: Formula in Table Includes Number from Heading Row (188408)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Word 98 Macintosh Edition
This article was previously published under Q188408

SYMPTOMS

In Word 98 Macintosh Edition, if you have a table that contains a row formatted as a heading row, the results of the =SUM(Above) and =AVERAGE(Above) formulas may not be what you expect.

CAUSE

Word includes values from the heading row in the calculation.

STATUS

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

MORE INFORMATION

When Word searches for contiguous cells, it starts at the formula cell and continues up until it finds the first cell containing a number. It then calculates up until it encounters a blank cell, a cell containing text only, or a cell containing a combination of numbers and text above the last cell that contains a number only.

The following sample table includes examples in which the formula results are incorrect and others in which the results are correct.

Sample Table with Formulas

   ---------------------------------------------------------
   |      1      |     Two     |    No. 3    |      4      |
   ---------------------------------------------------------
   |      2      |      2      |      2      |             |
   ---------------------------------------------------------
   |      3      |      3      |   row 3     |      3      |
   ---------------------------------------------------------
   |{=SUM(Above)}|{=SUM(Above)}|{=SUM(Above)}|{=SUM(Above)}|
   ---------------------------------------------------------

Sample Table with Results

   ---------------------------------------------------------
   |      1      |     Two     |    No. 3    |      4      |
   ---------------------------------------------------------
   |      2      |      2      |      2      |             |
   ---------------------------------------------------------
   |      3      |      3      |  row  3     |      3      |
   ---------------------------------------------------------
   |      6      |      5      |      8      |      3      |
   ---------------------------------------------------------
Row 1 of the sample table is formatted as a heading row (select the row and click Headings on the Table menu).

Result of row 4, column 1:

  • The result of the formula includes the numeric value of the heading for that column.
Result of row 4, column 2:

  • The result of the formula includes the set of contiguous cells that contain numeric values.
Result of row 4, column 3:

  • The result of the formula includes the value 3 from row 1, column 3.
Result of row 4, column 4:

  • The result of the formula does not include the heading for that column because there is a blank cell above the last cell containing only numbers.
Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:10/29/2004
Keywords:kbbug kbfix kbtable KB188408
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