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Double check totals
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- It's very easy to set up spreadsheets and then rely on the calculations to be accurate
- Care must be taken to make sure that the calculations being made are correct and remain correct when any modifications to the design of the spreadsheet are made
- Often, a spreadsheet requires row and column totals. But which way to do you add up the grand total? Do you
- Total the row totals; or
- Total the column totals
- Answer: both. The two totals should be compared and, if different, an error declared. For example:
=if(sum(e1:e7)=sum(a8:d8),sum(e1:e7),"calc error")
This compares the row totals sum(e1:e7) with the column totals sum(a8:d8) and declares an error if different: calc error
If an error is declared then there is probably an error in one or more cell calculations – this saves the embarrassment of someone else pointing out the error.
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