Microsoft Excel: Use Autosum Button To Enter Averages, Min, Max, And Count

Problem: Instead of totals, you need to enter an Average formula quickly, as shown in Fig. 357

Strategy: Use the dropdown arrow located next to the AutoSum button, as shown in Fig. 358. Instead of selecting Sum, use the Average option.

Excel enters a provisional Average formula, as shown in Fig. 359.

If Excel correctly predicted your data, as shown in Fig. 360, hit Enter to accept the formula.

Additional Details: Excel does NOT remember the last setting of the AutoSum button. If you do an Average and then use just the AutoSum button, it will return to using a SUM formula.

Additional Details: The Max option will use the MAX function to find the largest numeric value. The Min option will use the MIN function to return the smallest numeric value. The Count option will count the number of numeric entries in the list using the COUNT function.

Summary: The dropdown arrow next to the AutoSum function offers access to finding the Average, Min, Max, or Count of a range.

Functions Discussed: =AVERAGE(); =MIN(); =MAX(); =COUNT()