Subtracting figures in a column

  • Thread starter Thread starter Ron O'Brien
  • Start date Start date
R

Ron O'Brien

Hi,

I am trying to figure out how I can continuously subtract a given number
from every entry in a column.

I want to be able to somehow be able to enter a number, say, in a cell and
in so doing would deduct that sum from every cell in that column. All the
numbers in the various cells of that column would change.
The next day I might enter another number in that cell again and it would
continue to deduct from that column.

In other words what I am trying to achieve is a kind of stock control where
the rows represent the various parts required for a particular task, so one
job might require 1 of everything in column A. The numbers of the various
components in each row may vary, so:

Row 1 Item 1 56
Row 2 Item 2 44
Row 3 Item 3 39

Somewhere, presumably row 4, cell 3 (in that example) I could enter a
number, say 2, and that would permanently change item 1 to 54, item 2 to 42
and item 3 to 37, so that next time I needed to deduct a sum, I could enter
another number and it would change that.

Any ideas?
 
Select the cell that contains your number to subtract and click copy.
Select all the cells that are to be subtracted and then click Paste Special
- Subtract
 
That works great except for one slight problem....

If a cell is empty it puts a minus sum into it. I've tried selecting skip
blanks in the paste special dialogue box but that makes no difference, is
there any kind of work around?

Ron
 
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