How to drag down 'A1:A2', 'A1:A3', 'A1:A4'

Question

Let's say every day (1 day = 1 row) a number is being added in column A I want to have column B show the total of these numbers. However, if I drag it down, it keeps moving 'B1' too, while I only want the second one to move +1 -->. So:

Cell B1: '=A1' 
Cell B2: '=SUM(A1:A2)'
Cell B3: '=SUM(A1:A3)'
Cell B4: '=SUM(A1:A4)'

etcetera. Dragging this down doesn't give the wanted result.

Answer 1

You don't do this by increasing the formula by a cell for each row. This is not possible.

Instead, you use as the formula

cell B1 = A1
cell B2 = SUM(B1, A2)
cell B3 = SUM(B2, A3) 

Now you can drag down the formula from B2 and B3 (don't include B1 in the selection!) for as many rows as you like.

Answer 2

Well, in that case ...

Use the following formula in B2:

=SUM(A$1:A2)

The $ sign is meant to fix the row. If you it drag horizontally, I will follow the column letters.

See answer given, here on Web Applications: https://webapps.stackexchange.com/a/27869/29140

Answer 3

Just for the sake of completeness ...

Insert in cell B1:

=SUM(OFFSET($A$1,0,0,ROW(A1)))

Then, just copy or drag it down.

Note that the answer by rumtscho is much more efficient, though.

Answer 4

Use the dollar sign before the thing you don't want to change:

B2 = SUM(A2:A$1)

Now, when you drag this down, it becomes, say:

B10 = SUM(B10:A$1).

The "1" in A1 remains as it is because it was prefixed by the dollar sign.

Let me know if this doesn't work.

Answer 5

Since OP wants a result even in B1 I suggest a small variation on @Jacob Jan Tuinstra's A, in B1 and copied down to suit:

=sum(A$1:A1)