I created a table in Google Docs with product information and costs. The table has columns for Product Name, Details, and Cost. I need to calculate the total of all the cost values and show it at the bottom.
Product Name | Details | Cost
Laptop | Gaming computer | $800
Mouse | Wireless device | $25
Keyboard | Mechanical type | $75
Total:
I want to display the final amount after adding all costs together. Is there a way to do this calculation automatically in Google Docs tables? I tried looking for formula options but couldn’t find anything similar to spreadsheet functions. Should I be using a different approach or is there a built-in feature I’m missing?
Google Docs doesn’t have formula capabilities for tables like Excel or Sheets. I hit this same wall doing project budgets and had to work around it. Your manual calc is right - $900 total for those items. What works for me is keeping a Google Sheets version as my master for any tables that need calculations, then copying the final table into Docs for presentations or reports. You get the calculation power you need but keep your document formatting in Docs. There are add-ons too, but honestly the Sheets approach is way more reliable.
In Google Docs, tables don’t support automatic calculations like in spreadsheets. I figured this out myself after spending time figuring out how to calculate totals directly within the table. The best solution is to sum your costs manually for now: $800 + $25 + $75 equals $900. If you need dynamic calculations, consider creating your table in Google Sheets first. After that, you can easily copy and paste it into your Google Doc, and it will retain its formatting.
yeah, google docs tables don’t allow for calculations. you’ll have to manually add the costs; just write $900 in the total cell. for better options, it’s a good idea to use google sheets first!