How to Calculate in MS Word

Knowing how to perform a simple calculation in Word enables you to maintain focus on crafting your Word document instead of switching to another application to perform the calculation. Word offers several ways for you to enter calculations in a document, including the "Calculate" command and the "=" field code. The "Calculate" command is hidden by default, but you can reveal it by customizing the Quick Access Toolbar. You can insert the "=" field code through Word's "Insert" tab.

Instructions

Calculate Command

1. Click the down arrow to the right of the Quick Access Toolbar. Click "More commands," then click "All commands" from the "Choose commands" dropdown list.

2. Click the "Calculate" item from the left pane below the "Choose" dropdown, then click the "Add" button to add the "Calculate" button to the Quick Access Toolbar.

3. Click "OK" to exit the dialog box, then type a common calculation, such as "5 * 5," "3 + 4," or "7-2."

4. Double-click the line containing the calculation, then click the new icon on the Quick Access Toolbar, which you added in step 2. Word's status bar, which is at the button of the application's window, will show the result of your calculation.

5. Press "Control" and "V" simultaneously to paste the result of the calculation into the document.

Field Code

1. Click the Office button, then click the "New" command. Click the "Create" button to make a new Word document.

2. Click the "Insert" tab, then click the "Quick parts" button.

3. Click the "Field" command, then click the "=" field code from the "Field names" pane.

4. Click the "Formula" button, then type your calculation in the "Formula" dialog box that appears. For example, type "5 * 7," or "3-10."

5. Click the "OK" button to exit the dialog box and insert your calculated field code into the document. Word will show the results of the calculation.

6. Repeat steps 2 through 4, but this time click a function from the "Paste function" dropdown list from the "Formula" dialog box. Type the arguments for the function, separated by a comma. For the "Average" function, for example, type "0,10" to make the complete formula read "=Average (0,10)."

7. Click "OK" to insert the formula into your document.

References

• "Microsoft Word 2010 Bible"; Herb Tyson; 2010