If you’ve ever found yourself manually summing every few columns or rows in Google Sheets—quarterly totals, weekly data, or groupings of N values—there’s a better way. You can build dynamic formulas that do the work for you. In this post, I’ll show you how to sum every N cells to the right (across columns) or to the bottom (down rows) using flexible formulas that grow with your data.

We’ll cover both traditional drag-down formulas and modern array formulas—so whether you prefer a simple OFFSET approach or the flexibility of WRAPROWS, WRAPCOLS, and LAMBDA, you’ll find a method that fits your workflow.

Sum Every N Cells to the Right in Google Sheets

Example Data Setup for Summing Across Columns

Let’s say you have monthly sales data in row 3 from column B to column M (range B3:M3). You want to group them into quarters by summing every 3 columns.

1. Using a Non-Array Formula (Drag Right)

Start with this formula in cell B6 and drag it to the right:

=SUM(OFFSET($B$3, 0, (COLUMN() - COLUMN($B$3)) * 3, 1, 3))

Want to group every 4 columns instead of 3? Just change both instances of 3 in the formula to 4.

What’s Happening:

• $B$3 is your starting point.
• The formula dynamically shifts right using (COLUMN() - COLUMN($B$3)) * 3, which evaluates to 0, 3, 6, etc., as you drag it across.
• OFFSET then pulls a 1-row, 3-column slice to sum.

Heads-up: If you paste this somewhere other than column B, make sure to adjust COLUMN($B$3) to match your current column.

2. Using a Dynamic Array Formula (No Dragging Needed)

Here’s the cleaner, one-formula alternative:

=BYCOL(WRAPCOLS(B3:M3, 3, 0), LAMBDA(c, SUM(c)))

This one’s pretty slick:

1. WRAPCOLS splits the row into chunks of 3.

2. BYCOL applies a SUM to each chunk.

Change the 3 to any N value to sum every N columns.

Sum Every N Cells to the Bottom in Google Sheets

Now let’s look at vertical data—like daily totals or survey responses stored in a single column. You want to sum every N rows.

Example Data Setup for Summing Down Rows

Assume values are in D2:D13. You want to sum every 3 rows and output each total in a separate cell.

1. Using a Non-Array Formula (Drag Down)

Insert this formula in H2, then drag it down:

=SUM(OFFSET($D$2, (ROW() - ROW($D$2)) * 3, 0, 3))

Again, adjust the 3 if you want different-sized groups.

How It Works:

• $D$2 is the top of your data.
• (ROW() - ROW($D$2)) * 3 returns 0, 3, 6, 9… as you move down.
• OFFSET shifts downward and sums the next 3 rows.

If you’re placing the formula in a different row (e.g., starting from row 3 instead of row 2), make sure to update the reference to ROW($D$3) in the formula so it matches the row where you’re placing it. This ensures the row offset calculation remains accurate.

2. Using a Dynamic Array Formula (All at Once)

No dragging needed with this modern formula:

=BYROW(WRAPROWS(D2:D13, 3, 0), LAMBDA(r, SUM(r)))

Here’s what’s going on:

1. WRAPROWS splits your vertical list into 3-row groups.

2. BYROW sums each group.

You guessed it—just change the 3 to whatever N you need.

Wrapping Up

Whether you’re summing by column or by row, the dynamic formulas above can save you from repetitive work. You’ve now got:

• A drag-down (or right) solution using OFFSET
• A dynamic array solution using WRAPROWS, WRAPCOLS, and LAMBDA

These flexible options make it easy to sum every N cells to the right or bottom in Google Sheets—no helper columns or manual effort required.

Related Resources

• How to Sum Every Nth Row or Column in Google Sheets
• Array Formula to Multiply Every Two Columns and Total in Google Sheets