word help form fields please

April 16, 2007 10:32 AM

Stupid Microsoft Word Help! Help me gather up and total a few fields in WORD. How to I make form entries add up?

I don't use Word much and I have been asked to make an employee evaluation form based on a .doc file given to me. I need to do three simple things.
1. Make the # entered into a form field show up in a tabulated table at the end of the form as the same #.
2. Make that # add up with the others in total. ie. 3.5+3.5+2.0=total

I feel stupid asking this, but no amount of google or .help seems to yeild this simple (hopefully!) answer.

posted by BrodieShadeTree to computers & internet (7 comments total)

Is there a possibility you can use Excel instead of Word? If yes, then all you have to do is go to Tools/Calculator to select which cells to add up and which cell holds the answer.
posted by jamaro at 10:49 AM on April 16, 2007

Sure, in Word - go to Insert>Field - click Formula... Use the formula SUM(LEFT) to sum items to the left of the cell. Use the formula SUM(ABOVE) to sum items above.
posted by clarkie666 at 10:54 AM on April 16, 2007

As far as I'm aware, you can only insert formulas into tables in Word.

So:

1. Create a table.
2. Move the cursor to the cell where you want a calculated value
3. Select menu Table:Formula…
4. This brings up a dialog box. You can enter a simple equation like "=A1+B1" or something like "=sum(above)". You can also use one calculated value as a term for another one.

Note that you need to "update field" to force a recalculation when you change the values in the cells being referenced. Also note that I'm using Word for the Mac; ymmv.
posted by adamrice at 10:54 AM on April 16, 2007

Cool, i've learned something new about Word from clarkie and adamrice. The help topic comes up if you type in "Perform calculations in a table."
posted by jamaro at 11:00 AM on April 16, 2007

Also to answer your first question - each from field will have a name. If you right click on the form field and choose properties, you will get the name which is listed as Bookmark. To insert the result of this form field somewhere else in the document (for example in a table which you can sum) place the cursor in the cell and choose: Insert>Reference>Cross Refererence. Choose Bookmark in the dropdown, your form field name should be there. Select it and click insert. You can the use the SUM(ABOVE) on the results.
posted by clarkie666 at 11:02 AM on April 16, 2007 [1 favorite has favorites]

I mean "form field" not "from field"...dammit
posted by clarkie666 at 11:03 AM on April 16, 2007

Thanks! It works. Clunky, but it works.
posted by BrodieShadeTree at 11:42 AM on April 16, 2007