TABLES COURSE · Step 12 of 20

Anchor a running total to its Table

Lesson instructions

Use the complete current exercise check before saving. Navigation does not record a pass.

Before this step: Use INDEX to return a Table reference.

A running total starts at the first data record and ends at the current record. INDEX keeps that start tied to the Table. Record order changes intermediate balances even when the final amount is unchanged.

Open the running-total project. Apply the first-amount and source-row references.
Fill all fifty guarded report positions, retaining blank unused rows.
Check the Table column, report and all seven changed-source cases.

Original source

Running total principles

Find the first Table row. INDEX returns a reference; ROW can inspect its worksheet row.
Fill a cumulative range. Preview all fifty formulas before one grouped write. The unused tail stays blank.
Change the records. A refund lowers the balance; sorting changes intermediate totals, while the final total stays the same.

Teaching · read-only · Report!A1

Step 1 / 6Locate the first Table amount

Inspect

INDEX returns the first Orders[Amount] reference. ROW inspects its worksheet row. The current Table calculated column uses the same first-row anchor. Teaching is read-only; switch to Your turn to edit.

Report!G2 · (blank)
No formula applied

Loading your interactive spreadsheet…

1. Locate the first amount

First amount · Report G2Its source row · Report H2

First amount	—
First source row	—

2. Build and fill the running formula

Seed · Report D2

A locked cell can work while the source stays in place. The Table-based exercise also rebinds Orders at another location in an independent check, so the first-row reference must follow the Table.

Apply the Table’s current-row formula

Records · Running total calculated column

Current running report

Inside the Table, the live Running total column uses =SUM(INDEX(Orders[Amount],1):[@Amount]). INDEX anchors the first Amount; [@Amount] ends at the current Table row. The report below checks the same cumulative values independently.

0 current records. Quantity × Unit price is the line Amount. The balance includes every record in its current physical order.

Position	Record	Amount	Report running total	Table running total
1	—	—	—	—
2	—	—	—	—
3	—	—	—	—
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5	—	—	—	—

Inspect every unused report position

Position	Record	Amount	Report running total	Table running total
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3. Edit or reorder actual records

Use Records A2:D6. Cell formats stay attached to their worksheet positions when complete literal record values are reordered.

Records cellTypeValue

Complete-record order

4. Append complete Table records

Paste one to 45 headerless tab-separated rows: Record, Item, Quantity, Unit price. IDs stay literal and must be distinct. The complete source supports fifty rows.

New records

The Table’s Amount and Running total columns both fill new rows. The fifty-position running report already has guarded formulas, so an append needs no extra report write and one Undo recovers the complete addition.

Changed-source checks rebuild the same named Table with new values, order, length and one different source position. They do not move the live Table or certify desktop Excel automatic expansion, recalculation or edit/save. This project does not award completion of the whole Table course.

Position	Record	Amount	Report running total	Table running total
1	—	—	—	—
2	—	—	—	—
3	—	—	—	—
4	—	—	—	—
5	—	—	—	—

Position	Record	Amount	Report running total	Table running total
6	—	—	—	—
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Position	Record	Amount	Report running total	Table running total
1	—	—	—	—
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4	—	—	—	—
5	—	—	—	—

Position	Record	Amount	Report running total	Table running total
6	—	—	—	—
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Position	Record	Amount	Report running total	Table running total
1	—	—	—	—
2	—	—	—	—
3	—	—	—	—
4	—	—	—	—
5	—	—	—	—

Position	Record	Amount	Report running total	Table running total
6	—	—	—	—
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