Excel Running Total Formula That Copies
By Szabó Gergő · Updated
Add this row to all amounts above it. Lock the start of the range and leave the end relative so the total grows as you copy.
Syntax and arguments
=SUM($B$2:B2)- amount
- The column you are accumulating.
- start cell
- The first amount, locked with $.
Running total examples
01
Classic expanding SUM
Amounts in B, formula in C2.
=SUM($B$2:B2)Copied to C3 it becomes SUM($B$2:B3).
02
Microsoft 365 SCAN
Spill a whole column from C2.
=SCAN(0,B2:B100,LAMBDA(a,b,a+b))One formula fills the running total without copying.
03
Excel table
Table named Sales, column Amount.
=SUM(INDEX([Amount],1):[@Amount])The structured reference grows with new table rows.
Common mistakes
Locking both ends
If both ends are $ the total never grows.
Starting at B1 with a header
Start at the first numeric row.
Adding the running total into itself
Point SUM at the amount column, not the result column.
Running total FAQ
Can I reset each month?
Add a month test: =IF(A2<>A1,B2,C1+B2) when A is the month label and C is the running total.
Does this work backward?
Yes. =SUM(B2:$B$100) accumulates from this row to the bottom.
Why is SCAN better?
It spills, so you do not copy a formula down. It needs Microsoft 365.