## Syntax
```mermaid
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flowchart LR
sumAggregateFunction_start((START))
sumAggregateFunction_start --> sumAggregateFunction_0_0[SUM]:::quoted
sumAggregateFunction_0_0 --> sumAggregateFunction_0_1["("]:::quoted
sumAggregateFunction_0_1 --> sumAggregateFunction_0_2[DISTINCT]:::quoted
sumAggregateFunction_0_2 --> sumAggregateFunction_0_3[<a href="Invantive UniversalSQL/Grammar/Expression" class="internal-link">expression</a>]
sumAggregateFunction_0_3 --> sumAggregateFunction_0_4[")"]:::quoted
sumAggregateFunction_0_4 --> sumAggregateFunction_end((END))
```
## Purpose
Group function to sum together individual numerical values. Occurrences of `null` are considered 0, unless there are only `null` values. In that case the outcome is `null`. With `DISTINCT`, each unique value is summed once.
## Examples
The following example retrieves the total outstanding balance across a customer base of five customers; the `null` balance of Everest BV does not influence the total:
```sql
select sum(cus.balance)
from csvtable
( passing 'Acme Industries#Manufacturing#12500#50000|Bergmann GmbH#Manufacturing#0#25000|Carlson Ltd#Wholesale#2500#10000|Dubois SA#Wholesale#7500#10000|Everest BV#Services##5000'
row delimiter '|'
column delimiter '#'
columns name varchar2 position next
, segment varchar2 position next
, balance number position next
, credit_limit number position next
) cus
-------------------
22500
```
The following example retrieves the total outstanding balance per customer segment; the sole Services customer has only a `null` balance, so the outcome for that segment is `null` and shown empty:
```sql
select cus.segment
, sum(cus.balance)
from csvtable
( passing 'Acme Industries#Manufacturing#12500#50000|Bergmann GmbH#Manufacturing#0#25000|Carlson Ltd#Wholesale#2500#10000|Dubois SA#Wholesale#7500#10000|Everest BV#Services##5000'
row delimiter '|'
column delimiter '#'
columns name varchar2 position next
, segment varchar2 position next
, balance number position next
, credit_limit number position next
) cus
group
by cus.segment
order
by cus.segment
-------------------
Manufacturing 12500
Services
Wholesale 10000
```