[Solved] Running total in accumulator

[Grandapa Jim]

I was looking for group "Calc for the Stupid" and this group seemed to be close.

I have a Column of cells that I update daily. I then =SUM(A1:A10) in cell A11.

What I want to do is add A11 to the current value in A12. I tried using the CURRENT() function, but it seems to double the value.

Is there a way to do this.

[RoryOF]

In A13 enter =A11+A12

If you wish A12 to be increased by the value in A11, this is equivalent to A12 equaling A11+A12 - a circular reference, which in spreadsheets is not allowed

[Villeroy]

[Tutorial] Absolute, relative and mixed references

[Grandapa Jim]

Why is this so difficult? How does one set up an accumulator. The CURRENT() function looks like it should work for what I am trying to do. I tried setting A12to =CURRENT() + A11 But that seems to double the value.

[Zizi64]

What is so difficult?

A very simple rule: You can not store a single constant number AND a Formula in same time in a Cell.

But you can store the new values (as constant) in the Formulas:
For A12: =A11+23.45
For A13: =A12+33.45

Of course the Cell will not display the new entered constant value, but it will show the new result.

[MrProgrammer]

How does one set up an accumulator?

[Solved] Cell which totals data entered into an input cell
[Solved] How to keep a number?
[Solved] Keep adding numbers on a single cell
Enter numbers in one cell, have them add up in another

[Lupp]

Why is this so difficult? How does one set up an accumulator.

A spreadsheet is no pocket calculator which has an accumulating register. Spreadsheets also have no variables usable as accumulators like any general-purpose program.

If you want to use a spreadsheet cell as an accumulator you basically need to equip it with a procedural program in the background.

To simulate accumulation using spreadsheet formulas as they are (low-level functional programming), you need to write every single input to a cell in a way as @Villeroy already exemplified.

A variant is shown in the attached sheet.

accumulatringExample.ods

(19.04 KiB) Downloaded 18 times

===Editing===
Now there is also an example with accumulating cells based on a sheet event handler for onContentChanged.

accumulatingExampleWithBackgroundMacro.ods

(14.41 KiB) Downloaded 17 times