Here's how to sum a specific criteria with SUMIF in Excel:

Scenario:

Imagine you have a data table with product names (column A), quantities (column B), and prices (column C). You want to find the total quantity (values in column B) sold for a specific product (based on names in column A).

Steps:

1. Identify the Sum Range: This is the range of cells containing the values you want to add up (quantities in B). In our example, this would be B2:B10 (assuming your data starts in row 2 and goes to row 10).
2. Define the Criteria: This is the condition that determines which values will be summed. You can use text, numbers, or even logical operators. In our case, we want to sum quantities only for a specific product. We'll enter the product name in a separate cell (let's say D1). So, our criteria would be the cell reference containing the product name (D1).
3. SUMIF Formula: Enter the formula `=SUMIF(B2:B10, D1, B2:B10)` in an empty cell (e.g., E1).

Explanation:

- `SUMIF` is the function that performs the conditional sum.
- `B2:B10` is the sum range (cells containing quantities).
- `D1` is the criteria (cell reference containing the product name).
- `B2:B10` is repeated after the comma. This is optional but ensures you're summing the corresponding quantities based on the product name match. If omitted, Excel will assume you want to sum values in the same range as the criteria (which wouldn't be correct in our case).

Running the Formula:

Once you enter the formula, Excel will calculate the sum of quantities for the product specified in cell D1.

Tips:

- You can use wildcards (* and ?) in your criteria for partial matches. For example, "=SUMIF(A2:A10, "*apple*", B2:B10)" would sum quantities for all products containing "apple" in their names.
- SUMIF only works with one criteria. If you have multiple criteria, you can use the SUMIFS function, which allows for multiple conditions.
- Make sure your criteria match the data type (text or numbers) in the corresponding column.

By following these steps, you can effectively use SUMIF to sum specific values based on your defined criteria in Excel.