Your first formula in Google Sheets
Every formula in Google Sheets begins with an equals sign. Type = into a cell and Sheets treats what follows as a calculation instead of text. You can do math with plain numbers (=4+3), but the real power comes from cell references such as B2.
A reference points at another cell. When that cell changes, every formula that uses it recalculates automatically. That is the core idea behind every budget, tracker and report you will ever build.
Syntax
=B2+B3
Example
=B2+B3
Adds the value in B2 to the value in B3. Change B2 and the result updates by itself.
Common mistakes
- Forgetting the
=, which turns the formula into plain text. - Typing the numbers (
=4+3) instead of referencing cells, so the total never updates. - Adding spaces or a quote before the
=.
Math operators → · All lessons