If a cell displays =SUM(A1:A3) instead of a result, determine whether Sheets stored text or whether the spreadsheet is intentionally showing formulas. The repairs are different.
Check how widely it happens
If formulas appear throughout the sheet, inspect the Show formulas option in the View menu. Turning on a formula-inspection view does not convert calculations into ordinary text or remove their dependencies.
If only one cell is affected, inspect its first character and number format. A leading apostrophe or a Plain text destination can cause formula-like input to remain text. Compare the problem cell with a nearby functioning formula.
Enter the expression as a formula
For an intended calculation, choose an appropriate automatic or numeric format, then edit and recommit the expression starting with an equals sign. Changing formatting alone may not reinterpret an existing text entry.
Remove only an unintended prefix; do not delete quotation marks that belong inside a legitimate formula. For copied examples, inspect typographic quotation marks or extra characters that may have arrived with the text.
Verify the calculation safely
Test a simple expression such as =1+2 in an unused cell, then check the original formula against known inputs. An error after recommitting means it is now being evaluated and needs its own diagnosis.
Do not activate untrusted imported strings as formulas across an entire dataset. Some fields are supposed to contain literal formula examples or external text. Convert only the cells whose purpose is established, preserve the original data where necessary, and verify that downstream totals now use the calculated result rather than a displayed string.
References
Reviewed against the linked official product guidance on November 3, 2026. Features, limits, screen labels, and access can vary by account, platform, region, and organization policy.