If you think SUM is handy, wait til you meet SUBTOTAL. SUBTOTAL has so many tricks up its sleeve you’ll be mesmerised, but don’t be put off because this formula is simple.
If you’ve ever worked with Filters or hidden rows you’ve probably wanted to find the total of a column excluding what’s hidden. What about finding out the AVERAGE, COUNT, MAX, or MIN excluding the hidden or filtered rows? SUBTOTAL can do all this and more, and it’s one of the easiest formulas to get your head around.
The syntax of the SUBTOTAL formula in Excel is:
=SUBTOTAL(function_num,ref1,…)
Don’t be put off by the ever helpful syntax. I said this formula was simple and you’ll see as I translate it into English:
=SUBTOTAL(what type of total do you want, what range/s do you want to subtotal)
function_num is referring to the type of total you want. You see, SUBTOTAL can be used to SUM, COUNT, AVERAGE and much more. See the table below for a complete list of the different types of totals you can use SUBTOTAL for. You simply enter the function_num from the table below into your formula to instruct Excel what type of total you want.
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For example if we wanted to SUM a column of filtered data (say our range is C4:C32) our formula would read:
=SUBTOTAL(9,C4:C32)
This formula would give us the total for all values in the range C4:C32 that aren’t hidden by a Filter.
Now you see how easy it is, let’s go over some of the features of SUBTOTAL:
1) In the table above you will notice there are two columns. The first column containing function numbers 1-11 will exclude any cells that are hidden by a filter
2) The second column containing function numbers 101-111 do the same as above, but will also exclude any cells in rows that have been manually hidden.
3) You can use SUBTOTAL on more than one range. e.g. =SUBTOTAL(9,C4:C32,D4:D32,E5:E7 etc.etc) Simply separate any non-contiguous ranges by a comma.
4) SUBTOTAL ignores any other subtotals in the range. Taking the example below, our Grand Total on row 37 will not include the Night Garden Total, Spider Man Total, or the Wiggles Total even though the range for the Grand Total formula is C21:C36.
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Tips and Ideas for SUBTOTAL
- You can automatically insert SUBTOTAL’s (as I did above) using the SUBTOTAL tool on the ‘Insert’ tab of the ribbon. You’ll find a detailed video tutorial in our Microsoft Office Master training program on how to insert a SUBTOTAL automatically.
- Why not put the SUBTOTAL formulas at the top of your data. This is handy if your data goes on for thousands of rows and you don’t want to be scrolling to the bottom to see the totals all the time.
- Set your SUBTOTAL formula up to dynamically update for any new rows added to the bottom of your data by using the OFFSET function nested in your SUBTOTAL, or link the SUBTOTAL formula to an Excel Table.
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Got a clever way you use SUBTOTAL? Let us know by leaving a comment.
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{ 24 comments… read them below or add one }
I just signed up to your blogs rss feed. Will you post more on this subject?
Hi Badmash,
yes we will be posting more on this and many other topics.
You can get access to our training by signing up for free here FREE Microsoft Office Online Training
Regards
Phil
wow. great explanation.
THANKS
Excellent book for excel users
Thanks Martin
An interesting and helpful website.
Your’s Online Training is very useful for me. But I can’t pay for master training because of My condition is not allow to me for paying sorry………
Thanks
You are superbbbbbbbbbbbbbb…………
Hi,
I just saw a table kind of thing named subtotal in named range option.
I want to know how can i do the same kind of wonder.
thanks for this kind of support to the learner.
Hi Ajay,
Are you referring to Excel Tables?
Kind regards,
Mynda.
Thanks a lot.
You’re welcome, Rasim
Hello, I am trying to use the SUBTOTAL function for more than one sheet in a large, filtered Excel file. It works perfectly on one sheet but does not work at all on subsequent sheets.
Hi Ann,
The SUBTOTAL function will not work across multiple worksheets. One solution is to put an individual SUBTOTAL on each sheet and then use the SUM function to add them up across the multiple sheets.
Alternatively you can use this 3D SUMIF function to sum based on specific criteria.
I hope that helps.
Kind regards,
Mynda.
Hi! After sorting the table in alphabetical wise, In the Sub Total Tab, along with other boxes, if we also tick the “Page Break Between Groups” , it will automatically adjust page wise. It will be very easy to take print outs.
Further, select the top row(Heading) in the “Print Titles” Tab, so that the top row is automatically repeated in every page.
Once done, we can also convert the whole thing in to a PDF and mail, the end user will find it very convenient to use it, by taking prints, without taking any trouble of once again setting the page etc.,
oooph!!!
Hi
Your explanation is quite simple and impressive. Thanks for the great work.
Cheers, Shanthi
Shouldn’t grand total in example 4 be 1,349? …very confusing.
Hi Steve,
Thanks for your feedback and sorry for the confusion. The total is correct, it’s just that the image doesn’t show rows 2:23. I have improved the image to hopefully make it clearer that there are hidden rows.
Kind regards,
Mynda.
This site was… how do I say it? Relevant!
! Finally I’ve found something which helped me. Cheers!
Cheers, Daniel
Glad you like it.