When you need to do a quick calculation, I would regularly think of using the Windows calculator. Despite this, if you are working in Microsoft Word, you can calculate simple equations written in your document using Word's not so obvious Calculate command.
To use the Calculate command, we must add it to the quick access toolbar. To do this, click the down arrow button on the right side of the Quick Access Toolbar and select “More commands” in the drop-down menu.
Please select “All commands” from the drop-down list “Select commands from”.
In the command list on the left, scroll down to command “Calculate”, select it and then click “Add”.
The Calculate command is added to the list on the right. Click on “To accept” to accept the change.
Now you can write and then choose a simple equation (do not select the equal sign) in your Word document and click the button “Formula”. For some reason, the button is not called Calculate.
NOTE: If you use spaces in your equation, as we do in our example below, Word can convert your hyphens to hyphens, what won't work. See our note at the end of this post for a solution. (If you don't use spaces in your equation, this will not be an obstacle).
The result is displayed on the left side of the status bar at the bottom of the Word window.
The Calculate command will not insert the solution into your document. You must do it manually, if that's what you want to do. Additionally, you can add a third-party calculator plug-in to Word that enables you to do simple calculations and automatically insert the solution into your document..
NOTE: When you subtract using the Calculate command, you must use a script, not a script. Despite this, by default, Word replaces a hyphen with a hyphen when you type a space, more text and then another space, like you would in an equation. You don't have to put spaces between numbers and operators (+, -, *, /) for the Calculate command to work, but you might want to do it if you include the equations in your document. It will make equations easier to read.
If you like to put spaces in your equations, there is an AutoFormat setting that you can disable to prevent Word from replacing a dash with a dash. Then, before talking about the Calculate command, here's how to disable this AutoFormat setting. Click on the tab “File” and then click “Choices”. In the Word Options dialog box, click on “Revision” on the left and then click the button “AutoCorrect Options” in the AutoCorrect alternatives section on the right. Click on the tab “AutoFormat as you type” and uncheck the box “Scripts (-) hyphenated (-)”.
Now, those gorgeously spaced equations should work great.
