ms word starer - make table fields auto add numbers

unwashed potato! · 30 Jan 2013 at 11:52

atm for invoices i have lines within a table with the total for each line at the end, and then at the bottom of the table it has another table for sub total and total paid, total owed etc.

the issue i have is this isn't automated and i have to put it all in. is there any way within ms word starter to make it so when i add the total for each line in the first table, that sub total is automatically added together, and then i put how much they paid and it works out the total owed?

asim18 · 30 Jan 2013 at 12:14

You can do formulas in Word tables, but they don't auto-refresh.

Highlight the cell you want the answer in, then in the ribbon under Table Tools go to Layout, then under Data click Formula. From the dropdown box, select the type of calculation you want to perform, and in the box input the coordinates for the cells you want to perform the calculation on.

Or if you post up a plain Word document with your table layout I can have a go at creating the formulas for you.

Though you should really be doing this in Excel, even a free alternative will do better than Word. It's much easier to get set up and more automated.

Sliver · 30 Jan 2013 at 12:37

asim18 said:
You can do formulas in Word tables, but they don't auto-refresh.

True, but once you add a formula it becomes a field. You can then refresh fields in a document by selecting the field, or use CTRL A to select the whole document (all fields), and then press the F9 key.

unwashed potato! · 30 Jan 2013 at 14:13

thanks guys. i have a blank invoice here

http://www.filehost.ws/311h3totey85

i have excel starter too so if excel was within the word document as i've seen before would this work?

Sliver · 30 Jan 2013 at 15:16

Fairly sure the answer is no said:
thanks guys. i have a blank invoice here

http://www.filehost.ws/311h3totey85

i have excel starter too so if excel was within the word document as i've seen before would this work?

Nice looking invoice

Yes it would work. You can simply embed the Excel Worksheet into a Word document and then every time you update your Worksheet the document would automatically update too. I believe Word documents prompt you on opening about embeded links, just say yes.