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SUM doesn't add correctly

Using numbers to keep a running total but it doesn't. I have a column of + and - numbers. I entered SUM(B) in a cell. It returns -2071.75. I know that's not right and add with the calculator and get +1458.84. I repeated and got the same. Thus my cell with the formula is showing an error of -3530.59. There is no number close to 3530.59 in the column. This was in a cell at the bottom of the column and I add rows between it and the last entry when I have more to enter. It had worked fine for several years until I installed El Capitan. I have started a new document from scratch and copied the data into it and the same happens. I have entered the SUM formula into another cell in another column and it happens. I have entered the formula both by hand and by the formula box in the toolbar. My sheet has 42 entries, 5 blank rows, and the last row with the sum formula in the cell. There are 6 column but only the one is summed. (or is supposed to be summed.)


What can I be doing wrong? Numbers is version 3.6.1



Geoff

iMac, OS X El Capitan (10.11)

Posted on Feb 2, 2016 7:09 PM

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Question marked as Best reply

Posted on Feb 2, 2016 7:23 PM

make sure all the values in the list are actually interpreted by Numbers as numeric values

18 replies

Feb 3, 2016 8:32 AM in response to Barry

Thanks, Barry. I'll attach screen shots. But first a bit more explanation of what I'm doing/trying to do. This is for a checking account. My bank's download comes in qfx. (There are other options.) It will not open with Numbers 3.6 but will with 2.3. I copy it from 2.3 and paste it into 3.6. The sum formula works correctly in 2.3 but not in 3.6. I'm getting the formula from the tool bar in 3.6 and from the Insert menu in 2.3. (When I did the screen shots the formula changed slightly. It did say sum (B), now says sum B2:B45. The total is the same, though.) In the screen shots, first is the formula, then the upper part of the column, then the lower. The top 3 are Numbers 2.3 and the lower numbers 3.6. It looks like there isn't a way to attach an actual file?


Not sure if this matters, but this and a lot of other things have happened since I installed El Capitan. The folks over in OS X forum have tried to help with that. They have given me a lot of tests and terminal inputs to do. All remains the same, however. The worst of it and the thing I went to the forums for is a spontaneous restart (which might be a spontaneous log out) after the computer sleeps for 2 hours. Other things are weird actions from rapid mouse movements. If that matters I can be much more detailed in description. I have reinstalled El Capitan.


Geoff


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User uploaded fileUser uploaded fileUser uploaded file

Feb 3, 2016 8:55 PM in response to SGIII

Original (Numbers 2.6) had the formula several rows from the bottom. Don't know why. It still works properly in Numbers 2.6 whether the formula is at the bottom in a footer or a few rows up from that. I did use the SUM (B) in the original and in the 3.6 version until today. It was the default when I clicked "sum" in the formula box in the tool bar. Today, however, when I as for the sum formula it gives me the B;2 B:45 instead. I've put in the SUM (B) manually. No matter what it gives me the incorrect sum. I've restarted many times. One of the other problems (related?) is spontaneous restarts so I get a restart several times a day. I have been in the habit of shutting down most nights also so I get 5+ restarts a week when all is working well.


The problem did not start until I downloaded El Capitan. Did that give me a new version of Numbers? Other things started also shortly after installing El Capitan. Perhaps this is part of the whole picture. One person in another forum thought it is a hardware problem because much of the other problems seems graphic related. I haven't been able to get any of the apple hardware assessment tools to work. Most people thought it was an incompatible program. I've uninstalled everything I can and don't have many non-system programs. I've asked the support people for those programs for thoughts and, of course, they don't think it's there program. Because no one else has reported similar things I think they're right. I've reinstalled El Capitan once.

Feb 3, 2016 11:41 PM in response to Geoff K

HI Geoff,


Going by your totals, it appears that Numbers 3.6 is interpreting any 'number' containing a comma as a text string. SUM accepts text entries, but gives them a zero value in calculating the SUM.


After entering the values from your list into a Numbers 2 table and placing the SUM(B) formula in a Footer row at the bottom of the column, I got the sum 1455.84 matching your Numbers 2 example.

When I used a formula to transfer only the entries whose absolute value was less than 1000 (ie. all the numbers that did not include a comma) from column B to column D, then summed column D, I got the sum -2071.75, matching your Numbers 3 example.


SUGGESTION:

Try these changes in the Numbers 2 table into which you import the qfx files:


Select the column containing these numbers, then use the Cell Inspector to change the format to Number, two decimal places, and uncheck the Thousands separator box.

IF the commas disappear, try copying and pasting to your Numbers 3 table as you did before, and see if the SUM is now correct.


IF the commas do NOT disappear, then try pasting the column of numbers into a Pages document (using Paste and Match Style) then use Find/Replace to Find all the commas and replace them with nothing.

Copy the comma free column, and paste it back into Numbers 2, then copy and paste the table's contents into Numbers 3, and see if the sum is now correct.


Regards,

Barry

Feb 4, 2016 7:11 AM in response to Barry

That works! Well, almost. I had to get rid of the dollar signs also. I also found I could strip the commas and dollar signs in Numbers 2 and bypass the pages step. I also learned if the footer row is to have a sum formula it has to be placed there before it's made a footer row. After it's a footer the formula option is greyed. You solved my dilemma.


That, however raises another question. This is quite a hassle to do every 10-14 days when I record my checking data. Why doesn't Numbers 3 open a qfx file? Is there another bank type file it will open? I see cvs, tsk, qfx, Quick 98-99, and Quick 2000-2004 as options my bank has. I'll try these soon. But in researching money programs it seems qfx is a very common format. Why does Numbers 3 ignore it?


Thanks Wayne, Barry, and SGII. I appreciate your help.


Geoff

Feb 4, 2016 7:32 AM in response to Geoff K

Geoff K wrote:


I also learned if the footer row is to have a sum formula it has to be placed there before it's made a footer row. After it's a footer the formula option is greyed.


Hi Geoff,


That part doesn't sound right. I often define a Footer Row first and then use the fx in the toolbar to insert a SUM function.


SG

Feb 4, 2016 7:36 AM in response to Geoff K

Geoff K wrote:


I see cvs, tsk, qfx, Quick 98-99, and Quick 2000-2004 as options my bank has. I'll try these soon. But in researching money programs it seems qfx is a very common format. Why does Numbers 3 ignore it?



Hi Geoff,


I don't know what cvs is but if your bank offers csv then I suggest trying that. That's more common than the proprietary qfx format. If you encounter problems with that, just start a new thread and we'll see if we can give pointers that will help.


SG

Feb 5, 2016 10:06 AM in response to SGIII

Your right, it's cvs. I guess I was thinking about the pharmacy my insurance wants me to use. The cvs works well with Numbers but won't work with MoneyDance. qfx works with MoneyDance and with Numbers 2x but not with numbers 3x. I'll try again to download all the banks options and try them with both MOneyDance and Numbers 3x.


It might take me a while; I'm burned out with this stuff now. Actually, burned out more because I've been trying to sort out what else is happening to my Mac. You mention "That part doesn't sound right." Unfortunately there's lots that doesn't sound right with my Mac. It's been going on for 2+ months. Spontaneous restarts, spontaneous logouts, screen changes with rapid mouse movements, programs acting one way to day and another tomorrow, Safari frequently can't open a page, and maybe more yet to be discovered? It all started shortly after I installed El Capitan. None of it's consistent. i.e. it happens "sometimes." I've gotten lots of help from this forum with lots of testing and corrective action. I've gotten help from some support sites in non Apple programs I've had. So far no one has found a solution. One suggestion was get a new Mac because with none of the usual fixes helping it's likely a hardware problem, probably in the graphics component. That's temping but I'll really be bummed if I get a new Mac and the problem transfers into it. And my old (2009) Mac does what I need... or it did until a few months ago.


Sorry for going off on a rant. I really appreciate your help and all the help others have given me. If I come up with any magic answers I'll post them here.


Geoff

SUM doesn't add correctly

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