How can you calculate the total sum of a column in Excel?

Calculating the total sum of a column in Excel can be achieved effectively by using the SUM function. This function is designed specifically to add up a range of numeric values. For instance, if you have data in column A from A1 to A10, you would use the formula =SUM(A1:A10) to obtain the total of all values in that range. The SUM function is straightforward, widely used, and is the most efficient method for totaling numbers in a dataset.

Other functions mentioned serve different purposes: the TOTAL function does not exist in Excel, and the COUNT function is used to count the number of cells that contain numeric values rather than summing them. The AGGREGATE function offers various calculations, including a summation option, but it is more complex and intended for situations where you need to apply multiple functions or ignore errors. For simply summing up a column, SUM is the most direct and effective choice.