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SUM vs AVERAGE

Known for Basic Arithmetic Calculations

VS

Known for Basic Statistical Calculation

Table of content

Basic Classification Comparison
Usage Context Comparison
Basic Information Comparison
History Comparison
Facts Comparison

Usage Information Comparison
Technical Details Comparison
Evaluation Comparison
Ratings Comparison

Basic Classification Comparison

Function Category 📊

Primary classification of the Excel function based on its main purpose and usage domain, helps users quickly identify function types

SUM

Mathematical

SUM belongs to the Mathematical category. Excel functions for performing mathematical calculations Click to see all.

AVERAGE

Statistical

AVERAGE belongs to the Statistical category. Excel functions for statistical analysis and calculations Click to see all.
Operation Type 🔧

Fundamental type of operation or action that the Excel function performs on its inputs

Both*

Calculation

Excel functions for performing various calculations

Usage Context Comparison

For whom 👥

Target user groups who would benefit most from using this Excel function

Both*

Data Analysts

Excel functions specifically designed for data analysis and interpretation

SUM

Business Managers

SUM is designed for Business Managers. Excel functions helpful for business management and decision making Click to see all.

AVERAGE

Students

AVERAGE is designed for Students. Excel functions helpful for academic work and learning Click to see all.
Purpose 📝

Primary purposes and use cases of the Excel function

SUM

Data Analysis

SUM is used for Data Analysis. Functions specifically designed for analyzing data Click to see all.

Data Aggregation

SUM is used for Data Aggregation. Functions for combining and summarizing data Click to see all.

AVERAGE

Statistical Analysis

AVERAGE is used for Statistical Analysis. Excel functions designed for statistical calculations and data analysis Click to see all.

Basic Information Comparison

Known For ⭐

Distinctive characteristic or primary strength of the Excel function

SUM

Basic Arithmetic Calculations

SUM is known for Basic Arithmetic Calculations.

AVERAGE

Basic Statistical Calculation

AVERAGE is known for Basic Statistical Calculation.

History Comparison

Creation Date 📅

Original release date of the Excel function

Both*

Excel 2.0

Functions introduced in the Excel 2.0 version release
Created By 👤

Organization or team responsible for developing the function

Both*

Microsoft Excel Team

Functions officially created by the Microsoft Excel development team

Facts Comparison

Interesting Fact 💡

Unique or lesser-known information about the Excel function

SUM

Most commonly used function in Excel

AVERAGE

Most basic statistical function
Sarcastic Fact 🤣

Humorous or ironic observation about the Excel function

SUM

Making adding numbers look complicated since 1985

AVERAGE

Making averages average since Excel began

Usage Information Comparison

Formula Complexity Level 📖

Indicates the difficulty level and complexity of using the Excel function effectively

Both*

Simple

Basic Excel functions for common calculations and tasks

Technical Details Comparison

Input Data Type 📝

Types of data that the Excel function accepts as input parameters

Both*

Number

Excel functions specifically designed for numerical calculations
Version Compatibility 💻

Indicates which Excel versions and platforms the function is compatible with < including Office 365< Excel 2019< 2016< etc.

Both*

Excel 2019

Excel functions that work specifically in Excel 2019 version
Excel 2016

Excel functions that work specifically in Excel 2016 version
Excel 2013

Excel functions that work specifically in Excel 2013 version
Microsoft 365

Excel functions optimized for the latest Microsoft 365 platform
Excel Online

Excel functions optimized for use in the web-based Excel Online platform
Operating System 💾

Specifies the operating systems where the function can be used < including Windows< macOS< and web platforms

Both*

Windows

Excel functions optimized for Windows operating system
MacOS

Excel functions optimized for MacOS users
Web Excel

Excel functions available in web-based versions
Required Arguments Count 🔢

Number of mandatory arguments needed for the function to work properly

Both*

1
Required Arguments Type 📊

The data types accepted as valid input arguments for the function

Both*

Number

Excel functions that perform calculations specifically with numerical inputs
Range

Excel functions that operate on cell ranges for calculations
Array

Excel functions that specifically work with array inputs for calculations

Evaluation Comparison

Pros ✅

Key advantages and strengths of the Excel function

SUM

Easy To Use

Widely Recognized

Versatile

Fast Calculation

AVERAGE

Simple To Use

Common Function

Universal
Cons ❌

Limitations and potential drawbacks of the Excel function

SUM

Limited To Numbers Only

Cannot Handle Text

No Text Handling

AVERAGE

Ignores Text

Includes Zero Values

Functions that consider zero values in calculations, impacting statistical results Click to see all.

Numbers Only

No Weights

Ratings Comparison

Ease of Use Score 📊

User-rated score for function's ease of use

SUM

9.5

User-rated score for function's ease of use (25%) Having high ease of use score means the function is more intuitive and user-friendly. Click to see all.

AVERAGE

9

User-rated score for function's ease of use (25%) Having high ease of use score means the function is more intuitive and user-friendly. Click to see all.
Versatility Score 📈

Rating for function's adaptability to different scenarios

SUM

8.5

Rating for function's adaptability to different scenarios (25%) Functions with higher versatility scores can be used in more diverse scenarios and applications. Click to see all.

AVERAGE

7.5

Rating for function's adaptability to different scenarios (25%) Functions with higher versatility scores can be used in more diverse scenarios and applications. Click to see all.
Performance Score ⚙

Rating for function's execution speed and efficiency

SUM

9

Rating for function's execution speed and efficiency (25%) Functions with higher performance scores execute faster and use system resources more efficiently. Click to see all.

AVERAGE

9.5

Rating for function's execution speed and efficiency (25%) Functions with higher performance scores execute faster and use system resources more efficiently. Click to see all.
Reliability Score 🛠

Rating for function's consistency and error handling

SUM

9.8

Rating for function's consistency and error handling (25%) Functions with higher reliability scores produce more consistent results and handle edge cases better. Click to see all.

AVERAGE

9.5

Rating for function's consistency and error handling (25%) Functions with higher reliability scores produce more consistent results and handle edge cases better. Click to see all.
Score ⭐

Overall rating combining all scoring attributes

SUM

9.2

The overall score for SUM is 9.2. Click to see all.

AVERAGE

8.9

The overall score for AVERAGE is 8.9. Click to see all.

Alternatives to SUM

Known for Finding Highest Value

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Known for Finding Lowest Value

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Known for Counting Numeric Cells

📊 is easier to use than AVERAGE

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Known for Counting With Conditions

🔢 needs fewer arguments than AVERAGE

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Known for Count Non-Empty Cells

📊 is easier to use than AVERAGE

📈 is more versatile than AVERAGE

🛠 is more reliable than AVERAGE

⭐ is rated higher than AVERAGE

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Known for Round Numbers

🔢 needs fewer arguments than AVERAGE

📊 is easier to use than AVERAGE

📈 is more versatile than AVERAGE

⭐ is rated higher than AVERAGE

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Known for Multiplying Numbers Together

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Known for Calculate Factorials

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Known for Conditional Average Calculations

🔢 needs fewer arguments than AVERAGE

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Known for Finding Most Frequent Value

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