DSUM Function in Excel: Sum With a Criteria Table

📎 This article includes 1 downloadable practice file ↓

⏱ 2 min readUpdated 5 October 2026

DatabaseLevel: ExpertAvailable in: Excel 2007+

In this article

Syntax
Examples
Example 1
DSUM in practice
Where you will use it
Worked example
Mistakes people make
Related functions
Continue learning

DSUM adds a column for the rows that match a criteria range on the sheet. It looks old-fashioned, but it shines when a manager wants to type conditions into cells — including OR logic — without touching the formula.

Syntax

=DSUM(database, field, criteria)

Argument	What it means
`database`	The whole table including headers.
`field`	Column header in quotes, or its number.
`criteria`	A small criteria range: header row copied from the data, conditions in the rows below. Same row = AND, separate rows = OR.

Examples

Example 1

=DSUM(A1:F500, "Amount", H1:I3)

H1:I1 = Region, Month; H2 = North / Jan, H3 = South / Jan → North OR South in January.

💡 An empty row inside the criteria range means “no condition” and sums everything. Size the range exactly.

DSUM in practice

Where you will use it

Totals with a criteria table users can edit
Complex AND/OR reports
Legacy templates

Worked example

Database H1:J6 (Region, Customer, Sales: North 12000, South 8000, North 15000, West 22000, South 9000) with three criteria blocks.

Case	Criteria	Formula	Result
1	Region = North	`=IFERROR(DSUM(DB,"Sales",CHOOSE(A2,CritA,CritB,CritC)),"error: "&ERROR.TYPE(DSUM(DB,"Sales",CHOOSE(A2,CritA,CritB,CritC))))`	27000
2	Sales > 10000	`=IFERROR(DSUM(DB,"Sales",CHOOSE(A3,CritA,CritB,CritC)),"error: "&ERROR.TYPE(DSUM(DB,"Sales",CHOOSE(A3,CritA,CritB,CritC))))`	49000
3	North OR South	`=IFERROR(DSUM(DB,"Sales",CHOOSE(A4,CritA,CritB,CritC)),"error: "&ERROR.TYPE(DSUM(DB,"Sales",CHOOSE(A4,CritA,CritB,CritC))))`	44000

Results calculated in Excel.

Mistakes people make

Mistake	What to do instead
Blank row in criteria	A blank row matches everything
Modern alternative	SUMIFS or FILTER

SUMIFS · DCOUNT · DGET

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📎 Practice files for this article

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Practice workbook: Database (D…) functions6 tasks on realistic sales data — type your formula, the Check column turns green when it is right. Answers sheet included.
⬇ XLSX · 33 KB

Free to use for learning. Files with macros (.bas) are plain text — import them with Alt+F11 → File → Import File, and always test on a copy.

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