What does the 'SUM' function do in a spreadsheet?

The 'SUM' function in a spreadsheet is specifically designed to add together a range of numbers. When you use this function, you can input a series of cells that contain numeric values, and the function will compute the total of those values. This is particularly useful for quickly summing up large datasets or for calculating totals in financial spreadsheets, reports, or any situation where you need to aggregate numerical data.

For example, if you have a list of expenses in a column, using the SUM function allows you to easily see the total amount spent without having to manually add each number. The function takes all the selected cells and outputs their cumulative total, making it an essential tool for data analysis and financial calculations within spreadsheets.