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How To Perform Simple Calculations in Microsoft Word

The document discusses how to perform simple calculations in Microsoft Word using the Calculate command. It explains that the Calculate command is not enabled by default and must be added to the Quick Access Toolbar. It provides instructions for adding the Calculate command to the toolbar and then describes how to type an equation in a Word document, select it without the equals sign, and click the Formula button to see the result in the status bar. It notes that the Calculate command will not automatically insert the answer into the document. The document also addresses issues with dashes replacing hyphens in equations and provides a workaround.

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78 views8 pages

How To Perform Simple Calculations in Microsoft Word

The document discusses how to perform simple calculations in Microsoft Word using the Calculate command. It explains that the Calculate command is not enabled by default and must be added to the Quick Access Toolbar. It provides instructions for adding the Calculate command to the toolbar and then describes how to type an equation in a Word document, select it without the equals sign, and click the Formula button to see the result in the status bar. It notes that the Calculate command will not automatically insert the answer into the document. The document also addresses issues with dashes replacing hyphens in equations and provides a workaround.

Uploaded by

pinky
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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How to Perform Simple Calculations

in Microsoft Word
LORI KAUFMAN
AUGUST 15, 2016, 10:24AM EDT

When you need to do a quick calculation, normally you would think to use the Windows
calculator. However, if you’re working in Microsoft Word, you can calculate simple equations
typed into your document using Word’s not-so-obvious Calculate command.

To use the Calculate command, we need to add it to the Quick Access Toolbar. To do this, click
the down arrow button on the right side of the Quick Access Toolbar and select “More
Commands” from the drop-down menu.
Select “All Commands” from the “Choose commands from” drop-down list.

In the list of commands on the left, scroll down to the “Calculate” command, select it, and then
click “Add”.
The Calculate command is added to the list on the right. Click “OK” to accept the change.
Now you can type in and then select a simple equation (do not select the equals sign) in your
Word document and click the “Formula” button. For some reason, the button is not called
Calculate.

NOTE: If you use spaces in your equation, like we do in our example below, Word may turn
your hyphens into dashes, which won’t work. See our note at the bottom of this article for a fix.
(If you don’t use spaces in your equation, this won’t be a problem.)
The result is displayed on the left side of the status bar at the bottom of the Word window.
The Calculate command will not insert the answer into your document. You must do that
manually, if that’s what you want to do. You can also add a third-party calculator add-in to
Word that allows you to do simple math and automatically insert the answer into your document.

NOTE: When you do subtraction using the Calculate command, you must use a hyphen, not a
dash. However, by default, Word replaces a hyphen with a dash when you type a space, more
text, and then another space, like you might do in an equation. You don’t have to put spaces
between the numbers and the operators (+, -, *, /) for the Calculate command to work, but you
might want to if you’re including the equations in your document. It will make the equations are
easier to read.

If you like putting spaces in your equations, there is an AutoFormat setting you can turn off to
prevent Word from replacing a hyphen with a dash. So, before we talk about the Calculate
command, here’s how to disable this AutoFormat setting. Click the “File” tab and then click
“Options”. On the Word Options dialog box, click “Proofing” on the left and then click the
“AutoCorrect Options” button in the AutoCorrect options section on the right. Click the
“AutoFormat As You Type” tab and uncheck the “Hyphens (-) with dash (–)” box.
Now, those neatly spaced equations should work perfectly.

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