query to sum field values based on another field

[chriswrcg]

On my task exceptions table I end up with multiple exceptions for each individual task. How can I sum all the exceptions times for task 1 only and ignore the rest.



Here is my data after entering.


The two fields I am interested in is Task# (blue Arrow) and Exception Duration (Red Arrow).


I need a way to pull out all the duration's that happened during task 1 and add them together. (Red Box)
and then do the same with task 2 (Green Box) and so on.

The other problem is do I have to create this 15 times for the possible 15 task for the day Or is the a way to only pull out for the task that were completed?

[pbaldy]

Try this with the correct field names (inadvisable symbols and spaces will require field names be bracketed):

SELECT TaskNum, Sum(Minutes) As TotalMinutes
FROM TableName
GROUP BY TaskNum

[chriswrcg]

you want me to build a query or a report with an expression?

I know how to calculate the sum of a column of fields by creating a control source in a report I just don't know how to seperate the total based on task #.

[pbaldy]

That's a query, which could be the source of a report.

[chriswrcg]

I don't know how to turn this into a query.

SELECT TaskNum, Sum(Minutes) As TotalMinutes
FROM TableName
GROUP BY TaskNum

[pbaldy]

Eliminate the third column. Click on the Totals icon on the ribbon. On the duration field, change Group By to Sum. Run the query.

[chriswrcg]

Thank you. That was amazingly simple. I always make things harder than they need to be.

[pbaldy]

No problem. If you switch that to SQL view now, it should resemble what I posted earlier. A lot of times on the forum you'll see people posting SQL, which you can enter/edit directly in SQL view. The design view you posted a picture of is just a GUI that creates SQL, which is what's actually used behind the scenes.