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Question: I have a table with sales data, including the salesperson's name in column A, the product category in column B, the sales amount in column C, and the date of sale in column D. I want to calculate the total sales amount for each salesperson, but only for sales of products in the “Electronics” category that occurred in the month of January. Can you help me with the Excel formula to achieve this?

Answer: I'll help you create an Excel formula to calculate the total sales amount for each salesperson in the Electronics category for January, and break down the formula step by step.

The most appropriate formula for this task will use a combination of SUMIFS functions. Here's a comprehensive solution:

excel Copy=SUMIFS(C:C, A:A, A2, B:B, "Electronics", D:D, ">=" & DATE(YEAR(TODAY()),1,1), D:D, "<=" & DATE(YEAR(TODAY()),1,31))

Let's break down this formula component by component:

SUMIFS Function Structure:

The SUMIFS function allows you to sum values based on multiple criteria

Basic syntax: SUMIFS(sum_range, criteria_range1, criteria1, [criteria_range2, criteria2], ...)

First Argument (C:C):

This is the sum_range - the column containing the sales amounts

By using the entire column (C:C), the formula will work dynamically across all rows

First Criteria (A:A, A2):

A:A is the salesperson column

A2 references the current salesperson's name (assuming names are in column A)

This ensures the sum is specific to the individual salesperson in each row

Second Criteria (B:B, "Electronics"):

B:B is the product category column

"Electronics" filters for only Electronics category sales

Ensures only sales of electronic products are included

Date Range Criteria (D:D):

D:D is the date column

DATE(YEAR(TODAY()),1,1) creates the first day of January for the current year

DATE(YEAR(TODAY()),1,31) creates the last day of January for the current year

These create a precise January date range

Key Tips:

Place this formula in a cell next to the salesperson's name

The formula will automatically adjust for each salesperson when copied down

Ensure your data is consistently formatted

The DATE functions dynamically use the current year, so the formula stays current

Advanced Variations:

If you want a specific year, replace TODAY() with a fixed year:

excelCopyDATE(2024,1,1)

For a different month, modify the month number in the DATE function

Potential Considerations:

Verify your date column is formatted as a proper date

Check that "Electronics" matches your exact category spelling

Ensure no extra spaces in category names

Would you like me to elaborate on any part of the formula or discuss how to implement it in your specific spreadsheet?