Formula to Sum values in word table

Hi,
I have a table in word that contains numeric values (the cells in the table
actually hold merge codes, but the data source populates all these cells with
numeric values once the merge is done).

Outside of the table, I then have a formula that I thought would sum the
values in the second column of the table. The formula is {=SUM(Table1 b:b)}

Note that I created a bookmark to the table named Table1.

When I run the merge, the fields in the table all merge properly, but the
formula displays the formula text as above, almost as if word ignores that it
is a formula. But it definitely appears as a formula in the main document.

I am pretty new to bookmarks and formulas in Word, so I am hoping that my
problem is easy to solve.
Thanks,
Craig

ps The below I pulled from a very helpful document on formulas in Word that
I found through this newsgroup. Thought it might be helpful for others to
see, since I used it to build my template.

Only the following functions can accept references to table cells as
arguments from outside that table:
AVERAGE(), COUNT(), MAX(), MIN(), PRODUCT(), and SUM().

When referencing cell values in a table from outside that table, set up a
bookmark for the table (Table1, say), then use the a suitable function (even
for a single cell) to retrieve the table values (e.g. {=SUM(Table1 C1)} or
{=SUM(Table1 A3)+SUM(Table1 B3)}).

If you created the bookmark in the mailmerge main document, it will not have
survived the mailmerge. Therefore, the reference to Table1 in the formula
will be meaningless.

Apart from that, did you use Ctrl+F9 to insert the field delimiters { }

--
Hope this helps.

Please reply to the newsgroup unless you wish to avail yourself of my
services on a paid consulting basis.

Doug Robbins - Word MVP
"Craig" wrote in message
...
Hi,
I have a table in word that contains numeric values (the cells in the
table
actually hold merge codes, but the data source populates all these cells
with
numeric values once the merge is done).

Outside of the table, I then have a formula that I thought would sum the
values in the second column of the table. The formula is {=SUM(Table1
b:b)}

Note that I created a bookmark to the table named Table1.

When I run the merge, the fields in the table all merge properly, but the
formula displays the formula text as above, almost as if word ignores that
it
is a formula. But it definitely appears as a formula in the main document.

I am pretty new to bookmarks and formulas in Word, so I am hoping that my
problem is easy to solve.
Thanks,
Craig

ps The below I pulled from a very helpful document on formulas in Word
that
I found through this newsgroup. Thought it might be helpful for others to
see, since I used it to build my template.

Only the following functions can accept references to table cells as
arguments from outside that table:
AVERAGE(), COUNT(), MAX(), MIN(), PRODUCT(), and SUM().

When referencing cell values in a table from outside that table, set up a
bookmark for the table (Table1, say), then use the a suitable function
(even
for a single cell) to retrieve the table values (e.g. {=SUM(Table1 C1)} or
{=SUM(Table1 A3)+SUM(Table1 B3)}).